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Clifford R. Goldstein

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Soraya Homayouni Parish

The Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is prepared by the Office of the Adult

B i ble Study Guide of the General Conference of Seve n t h - d ay Adve n t i s t s. T h e

p r e p a rati on of the guides is under the general direction of the Sabbath School

P u blications Board, a subcommittee of the General Conference Administra t i ve

Committee (ADCOM), publisher of the Bible study guides. The published guide

reflects the input of wo r ldwide evaluation committees and the approval of the

S a bbath School Publications Board and thus does not solely or necessarily repre-

sent the intent of the author(s).

The Church at Ephesus—September 24-30 —————————— 6

E p h e s i a n s : Themes in Relationships—October 1-7— — — — — — — 14

What God Has Done—October 8-14— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 22

Praise and Prayer—October 15-21— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 30

The Church: God’s Workmanship—October 22-28 — — — — — — — 38

The Church Without Walls—October 29–November 4 — — — — — 46

G o d ’s M y s t e r y : T h e U n ive r sal Fe l l ow s h i p — N o vember 5-11— — — 56

Unity Amid Diversity—November 12-18— — — — — — — — — — — — — — 64

Living the New Life—November 19-25 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 72

The Christian Walk—November 26–December 2 ——————— 80

Christian Relationships—December 3-9 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 88

The Christian Warfare—December 10-16 —————————— 96

The Christian A r m o r—December 17-23— — — — — — — — — — — — — — 104

The Christian Communion and Conduct—December 24-30 — —112

One man at the rear of the church waited in

silence. He came late for the service, sat on the

f l o o r, listened to the sermon, and took seri-

o u s ly the invitation that all who have accepted

Jesus could participate in the open Commu-

nion that A d v entists celebrate. But he knew no

one; no one knew him. He eagerly waited for

someone to invite him. But he seemed poor,

friendless, and on the wrong side of the caste

line. His position seemed desperate to himself

and embarrassing to the saints in that small church in a small town in a

c o u n t r y where caste still defines community.

Which of the saints would offer to be the partner for this lonely man?

Who would rise by stooping? The elders were busy organizing the

details. The deacons were bu s y, fetching water from the only tap out-

side the church. And others . . . ? Levites and the priests are ex t r e m e ly

busy people, not to be disturbed by trivia of this kind.

S u d d e n ly Ravi Anandan went over to the visitor and wa l k ed with

him to the basin. Ravi knelt on the cold concrete floor, cradled his part-

n e r ’s shoeless, dusty feet, and washed them in the clear cool wa t e r,

which instantly turned a muddy brown.

One month ago Ravi would have done no such thing. He would not

h a ve allowed even the shadow of that man to come any w here near him.

Touching him would be touching the untouchable, and touching the

u n t o u c h a b le is an act of religious impurity and social repugnance.

What happened? One month ago Ravi accepted Jesus. As he studied

the New Testament, the image of the broken wall in Ephesians 2:12-16

m oved him deeply. Walls or Jesus? It had to be one or the other, not both,

for Jesus came to tear down those wa l l s — walls that have caused and still

cause so much hatred, misunderstanding, and suffering in this wo r l d .

E p h e s i a n s :

The

ospel

Jesus came

to tear down

the walls

that cause

hatred and

suffering.

R avi chose Jesus over those walls of which he was once so proud.

The result? He would reach out and touch the untouchabl e .

That newness, that embrace, that unity in Christ is what makes the

Epistle to the Ephesians a gospel of new relationships. It was John

C a l v i n ’s favorite letter. William Barclay calls it “the queen of epistles.”

E. J. Goodspeed finds it “a great rhapsody of the Christian salva t i o n .”

We can study the Epistle for its theolog y, ecclesiolog y, or Christian

s o c i o l o g y, but one thing we cannot escape: Pa u l ’s confidence in the

n e w creation God has wrought in Christ and its ultimate triumph in the

great controve r s y. From God’s choice of us from “before the founda-

tion of the world” (Eph. 1:4) to the battle “against spiritual hosts of

w i c kedness” (Eph. 6:12, NKJV) to the promise that Jesus is “able to

do exceeding abu n d a n t ly above all that we ask or think, according to

the power that wo r k eth in us” (Eph. 3:20), the Epistle resonates with

the power of grace, praye r, and faith.

And it is with that spirit of praye r, of grace, and of faith that we must

approach the study of one of the great love letters of the Bible, the

book of Ephesians. It’s our praye r, too, that when done, all who study

not only will understand better what motivated Ravi to reach out and

touch what he once deemed untouchable but also will experience for

t h e m s e l v es the life-changing power of the gospel as it works in their

h e a r t s .

John M. Fow l e r, author of this quart e r ’s study guide, is an associate

director of the General Conference Education department. A native of

India, John spent many years in denominational service in Southern

Asia before coming to the General Conference, where he wo r k ed with

M i n i s t r y m a gazine before going to the Education department. John is

m a r ried and has two children and two gr a n d c h i l d r e n .

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E S S O N

*September 24-30

The Church at

Ephesus

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Acts 19, 20:17-38.

Memory Text:

“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and pre-

vailed” (Acts 19:20, NKJV).

he Ephesian church was fortunate to have had the ministry of

Paul. Imagine—Paul as your minister? What a bl e s s i n g !

It needed a Paul too. The church itself had many enemies, some

as ferocious as wild beasts (1 Cor. 15:32), and this explains all the

more Pa u l ’s closeness to the Ephesian congr egation. No wonder his

m i n i s t ry there was long and arduous, but when he left, he did so with

the satisfaction that would be the envy of any pastor: “ ‘I have not hesi-

tated to proclaim to you the whole will of God’ ” (Acts 20:27, NIV).

Among others associated with the church were Aquila and Priscilla,

Apollos, Timothy, and the apostle John. Each of them had a role to

play in the building of this church, one of the finest of the first cen-

tury. What can we learn as we delve into this fascinating and instruc-

tive moment in early Christian history?

The Week at a Glance:

What kind of culture did Paul

face in Ephesus? What really motivated much of the opposition

against him? Who were Aquila and Priscilla? What was the secret

of Apollos’s power? What was the essence of Paul’s farewell

address to the Ephesians?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 1.

U N D AY

September 25

E p h e s u s : Jesus

. Diana

(Acts 19:24-29)

Located at the western edge of Asia Minor, with easy access to the

Aegean Sea, Ephesus was at the height of its glory in the first and sec-

ond centuries

. The fourth-largest city of the Roman Empire, the

capital of Asia Minor, Ephesus boasted of a rich heritage of wealth,

philosophy, and Roman law.

Perhaps the most attractive point about the city was its temple of

Diana, the goddess of fertility whom “all Asia and the world” wor-

shiped (Acts 19:27). Known as Artemis to the Greeks and Diana to the

Romans, the goddess had a cult of followers who practiced magic and

astrology; the worship of this figure also brought to the city a flood of

worshipers and tourists. Built of marble and lined with gold, her

temple measured 324x164 feet and held in the center of its inner sanc-

tuary the image of Diana. During Paul’s time the temple was con-

sidered one of the seven wonders of the world, and the city’s com-

merce, industry, and economy depended on the multitudes flocking

there to worship Diana.

Into this city, absorbed with the worship of the deity of fertility,

entered Paul proclaiming, “ ‘they are not gods which are made with

hands’ ” (Acts 19:26, NKJV). In other words, his message struck at the

heart of all that these people held dear.

Read

Acts 19:24-28. What was the real issue that caused the people

to react against the truth as they did?

The conflict between Christ and Diana is as old as the conflict

between Christ and Satan. The war is not always about what is right

and wrong or about who offers the good life and who does not. The

conflict is an appeal to the immediate as opposed to the eternal, to the

emotional as opposed to the spiritual, to the pleasures of life as

opposed to salvation from sin.

At Ephesus the two stood in confrontation. Paul was on one side,

Demetrius on the other, and both were appealing in the name of reli-

gion. That raises a point we can forget only at our peril: We confront

an Ephesus at every corner, and that includes our own hearts.

Read again the argument made against Paul and his faith.

Notice how his opponents justified their opposition so that it

appeared their concerns weren’t just about their own livelihood

but about something greater than themselves. In what ways do

we do the same thing, making excuses for what we do on the pre-

text of some cause greater than ourselves when, in the end, our

real and immediate concern is only ourselves?

O N D AY

September 26

E p h e s u s : Aquila and Priscilla

Paul’s first visit to Ephesus was a brief one, at the close of his sec-

ond missionary journey, en route from Corinth to Antioch on the way

to Jerusalem. While in Corinth, he met Aquila and Priscilla. The three

had much in common: They were Jews who had accepted Jesus as the

Messiah. They had traveled quite a bit—Paul on mission, the couple

on business. They were refugees—the couple driven from Rome and

Paul from many cities. And they all were tentmakers.

Forged out of necessity, born out of love for Jesus, and burdened

with sharing the gospel, the threesome made an effective team min-

istry. After witnessing in Corinth, the three went to Ephesus (Acts

18:19). There Paul preached his first sermon (as his custom was) to

Jews in the local synagogue. His audience was so impressed that they

requested him to stay longer, but he declined, promising, “ ‘I will

return . . . God willing’ ” (vs. 21, NKJV). The apostle must have sensed

the potential of Ephesus to become a great Christian center, and so he

left Aquila and Priscilla behind. The two faithful laypersons became

instrumental in the establishment of the early believers at Ephesus.

Later, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians (c.

. 57) from Ephesus, he

sends the Corinthian church greetings from Priscilla and Aquila and

the church that met in their house (1 Cor. 16:19). The lay couple and

the church at Ephesus have left us a meaningful role model in lay min-

istry, particularly that of team ministry.

Read

the following passages that refer to Aquila and Priscilla: Acts

18:2, 3, 18, 19; 1 Cor. 16:19; Rom. 16:3, 4. From these texts, what

can you learn about the characteristics essential for Christian life

and ministry?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Aquila and Priscilla were a blessing, not only to the Ephesus church

but also to the early missionary movement in that they brought

Apollos to the full knowledge of truth (Acts 18:26). Consequently, the

early church gained an eloquent, educated, cultured, and fearless

preacher in Apollos.

Reread Romans 16:3, 4. How many people would you be willing

to risk your life for? For what causes would you endanger your

life? Mull over your answers. What conclusions can you draw

from them about yourself?

U E S D A Y

September 27

Apollos at Ephesus

(Acts 18:24-28)

In this

account, we have a Jew who is named after a Greek god.

What’s a subtle but important message for us in this fact? See

also Dan. 1:7.

Even before Paul began his full-fledged ministry at Ephesus, the

church there was exposed to Apollos, a brilliant orator from

Alexandria, the second most important city in the Roman Empire. A

Jew from that great center of Greek learning, he was highly cultured

and learned in philosophy and rhetoric and knew the Scriptures well

(Acts 18:24). But what is culture without conviction? And what is con-

viction without a passion to persuade others toward what one is con-

vinced about?

Read

the account of Apollos in Acts 18:24-28. What things are

expressed there that reveal why he was so powerful an evangelist?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Despite all that he had going for him, Aquila and Priscilla detected

a deficiency in Apollos’s message. Evidently “he knew only the bap-

tism of John” (Acts 18:25, NKJV), not the baptism of Jesus. The

Baptist himself knew the difference: One was of water, the other was

of the “ ‘Holy Spirit and fire’ ” (Matt. 3:11, NKJV). It is not enough

to go through the ritual of baptism. A ritual has no saving power. It is

only a symbol of something deeper and greater. John spoke of repent-

ance from sin, and this was only the first step. The whole gospel calls

us to repent and believe in Jesus—His death and resurrection—and be

transformed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This Apollos did not

know, and Aquila and Priscilla “took him aside and explained to him

the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26, NKJV).

The church at Ephesus, thus, early in its beginnings, not only had

the benefit of a great scholar expounding the Scriptures but also

became the venue of turning this scholar into a true disciple of Christ.

Ap p a r e n t ly, among his other attribu t e s , Apollos was able to

re c e ive instruction and corre c t i o n . W hy is being open to corre c -

tion so important for any Christian? When was the last time

someone attempted to correct you on something? How did yo u

respond? How can you learn to accept needed correction better?

E D N E S D AY

September 28

Paul at Ephesus

(Acts 19:1-20)

During Paul’s third missionary journey he kept the promise he made

to the Ephesians (Acts 18:21) and returned to the great city where he

spent about three years preaching and establishing a strong church.

“All who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews

and Greeks” (19:10, NKJV). Note the phrase Jews and Greeks. The

church at Ephesus was a mixed congregation that provides the back-

drop for the joy and celebration of unity and relationships the Epistle

to the Ephesians speaks so much about.

Paul’s ministry in the city began on the right note: bringing the full-

ness of truth to some of the believers who were already there. As in

the case of Apollos, these believers had the baptism of John but not

of Jesus and had not even “ ‘heard whether there is a Holy Spirit’ ”

(vss. 1-3, NKJV). Paul, great teacher that he was, quickly gave them

more light, which they readily accepted.

Paul’s

ministry there, however, did meet with opposition. Thus, even

such a great evangelist couldn’t reach all hearts. How did he

respond to that opposition? Why do you think he did what he did?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Despite the obstinacy of some (vs. 9), both Greeks and Jews

throughout the province of Asia heard the Lord’s message. Paul taught

and preached daily for over two years, and God performed “unusual

miracles” through him (vs. 11, NKJV).

Results of Paul’s preaching and healing ministry were astounding.

Many believed, confessed their sins, and turned from their past ways

of magic and sorcery. The world of the occult was shattered, and the

city had a bonfire of incantation books worth several million dollars

(vss. 18, 19). Most important of all, the “word of the Lord grew might-

ily and prevailed” (vs. 20, NKJV). Even as “the name of the Lord Jesus

was magnified” (vs. 17, NKJV), the city was gripped with fear that

“ ‘Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed’ ” (vs. 27,

NKJV).

Read verses 18 and 19. Look at what their new faith cost these

people. What has your faith cost you? Look inside your heart.

What do you need to put on the bonfire?

H U R S D A Y

September 29

The Depth of Pa u l ’s Ministry

(Acts 20:17-38)

After serving in Ephesus for three years, the apostle left on a mis-

sion to Macedonia, Greece, and Troas, and then planned his return trip

to Jerusalem. The boat’s itinerary included a stop in Miletus, some

thirty miles from Ephesus. Paul summoned the Ephesian church eld-

ers to Miletus for a farewell fellowship. Of all the churches Paul estab-

lished and visited, Ephesus was very close and special to him. His

depth of love and commitment to that church is seen in the farewell

address in Acts 20:18-35.

Note the following about Paul’s ministry and then give a reason

why each is important to ministry:

1. His life was as transparent as his ministry (vs. 18).

2. He ministered with heartfelt sincerity (vs. 19).

3. He spoke of the truth both publicly and privately (vs. 20).

4. He had one common message to both Jews and Greeks: faith

in Jesus (vs. 21).

5. In his life, service came before self (vss. 24-26).

6. He declared the whole counsel of God (vs. 27).

7. He delegated responsibility for shepherding the flock and

warned of the dangers in ministry (vss. 28-31).

8. He believed that the church was purchased by Christ’s own

blood (vs. 28).

9. He believed in supporting himself (vss. 33-35).

Paul left the Ephesian church under the stewardship of competent

elders (vs. 17). The apostle also appointed Ti m o t h y to minister there,

with a special commission to ensure that the Ephesians “teach no other

doctrine, nor give heed to fa bles and endless genealogies, which cause

disputes rather than godly edification which is in fa i t h ” (1 Tim. 1:3, 4,

N K J V ) .

The Ephesian church also had the privilege of the ministry and

counsel of the beloved disciple John (see Ellen G. White, The Desire

of Ages, p. 194). The early church father Irenaeus (ca.

. 130–200)

wrote of John’s residence in Ephesus from where he wrote the Gospel

(Against Heresies, 2.22.5; 3.1.1). The elderly disciple’s presence itself

must have been a source of great strength and joy to the church at

Ephesus.

Read prayerfully Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesians in

Acts 20:18-35. What points touch you the most? Write out a

paragraph on that point or points: what it is, how it touches you,

what you have learned from it, and how, if applied, this could

better your life and enhance your walk with the Lord.

R I D AY

September 30

Further Study:

Read Revelation 2:1-7. Note God’s commenda-

tions and warnings to the church at Ephesus. How relevant are these

to you and your local church?

Read The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 281–297. Note the great chal-

lenges Ephesus posed to evangelism.

“Through their [Priscilla’s and Aquila’s] teachings he [Apollos]

obtained a clearer understanding of the Scriptures, and became one of

the ablest defenders of the Christian church. Thus a thorough scholar

and brilliant orator learned the way of the Lord more perfectly from

the teachings of a Christian man and woman whose humble employ-

ment was that of tentmaking.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA

Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1063.

“The magicians of heathen times have their counterp a rt in the spir-

itualistic mediums, the clairvoyants, and the fortunetellers of today. . .

. Could the veil be lifted from before our eyes, we should see ev i l

angels employing all their arts to deceive and to destroy.”—Ellen G.

White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 290.

Discussion Questions:

●

Every age and individual faces the same struggle: Diana or

Christ. What kinds of “Diana” are prevalent in your society?

How can you, as a church, help others see clearly the two issues?

Also, how can you, as a class, help others within the church not

be slowly swept into the worship of “Diana,” in whatever form

she comes?

●

Have someone in the class read aloud Paul’s farewell address

to the Ephesians in Acts 20:18-35 and then, as a class, discuss

whatever comes to your minds about his words.

●

Read again about those who burned all their books (see

Wednesday’s lesson). Wasn’t that a little extreme (after all, burn-

ing books)? What message can we glean from their actions? Ask

people in the class to share their own experiences of having had

to “burn” something for the Lord: What was it? Why did they

believe they had to do it? Are they sorry or glad they did it?

tor

I N S I D E

Bedside Evangelistic Series

by N

ATASHA

UNAK

It was an ordinary day, the kind we seldom remember until something

unexpected happens. On Saturday evening as I prepared to bathe my two-

month-old son, Florin, I noticed a lump on his body. We called the doctor,

who told us to take Florin to the regional hospital in Tula, Russia, an eight-

hour train ride away.

“Why Lord?” I prayed over and over as we made our way to the hospi-

tal and as we waited anxiously for the doctor to examine our son.

The doctor told us our son’s condition was not serious but that he needed

surgery, which he had scheduled for two days later. He urged me to remain

in the hospital with Florin and complete necessary paperwork while my

husband returned home.

I was taken to a ward where other mothers waited with their children for

surgery. I unpacked my bag and laid my Bible on the stand near the bed.

One woman noticed the Bible and began asking questions. As I answered

her questions, I noticed the other mothers were listening too. We talked for

two hours about God, the Bible, and life. Then she asked for some

Christian books to read. When the other women heard her request, they,

too, asked for books. “And bring children’s books, too,” they added.

The next day my husband brought a box of books, which the women

eagerly grabbed. The children’s ward became eerily silent as each mother

began reading. Suddenly I understood that God had a purpose for our son’s

unexpected emergency and was turning a crisis into a blessing. Every

woman in the ward needed assurance of God’s love, and through us God

was providing that assurance.

Later I invited the children to come and sing with me. I taught them

songs of faith in Jesus. The mothers joined in with us as we sang. The

dreary hospital ward was filled with songs of joy. The nurses heard the

singing and came to see what was happening. Doctors and nurses from

other wards stopped by. Some asked for books.

My son’s surgery was successful, and soon he was well enough to return

home. I do not know how many people’s lives were changed as the result

of our bedside evangelistic series, but I am just glad that God could use us

in a surprising and unexpected way.

ATASHA

UNAK

and her family live in western Russia.

P rod uced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o rg

E S S O N

*October 1-7

Ephesians:

Themes in

Relationships

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Isa. 14:12; Acts 26:9-19;

Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; Gal. 1:11-17; Eph. 3:11, 12; Col. 1:20, 21; Rev.

12:7.

Memory Text:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in

the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3, NKJV).

letter of celebration. Last week we saw that as Paul’s third

missionary journey drew to a close and as he was on his way

to Jerusalem, he told the Ephesians they “ ‘will see my face no

more’ ” (Acts 20:25, NKJV). He was right. Paul was soon arrested in

Jerusalem and eventually imprisoned in Rome. Away from the pres-

sures of the mission frontier and shut in Caesar’s prison, Paul reflected

on his life as the apostle to the Gentiles (Eph. 3:8).

From the loneliness of imprisonment, the aged apostle celebrated

the amazing fellowship in Jesus by writing his “prison” Epistles:

Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, and the one we are now studing,

Ephesians.

The letter to the Ephesians deals with no particular problem, doc-

trinal or social. It celebrates the joy of fellowship, relationship, and

unity in Christ. It’s also a great expression of thanksgiving and praise

for what God has done through Christ in the creation of His church.

The Week at a Glance:

Why was Paul so confident of his

calling? What is an apostle? What is a saint? When the Bible talks

about “peace,” what does it mean? What does Paul mean by the

phrase “in Christ”?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 8.

U N D AY

October 2

The Au t h o r : Paul

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints

which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Eph.

1:1).

As Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians, he immediately refers to

himself as an “apostle.” In the kind of Greek Paul wrote in, this word

carries the idea of being an ambassador, an envoy, or a messenger, cer-

tainly an apt title to describe the life and ministry of Paul, who,

indeed, had a message to deliver.

In the Gospels, the word apostle is used almost exclusively in ref-

erence to the Twelve whom Jesus called and sent out, known, of

course, as the Twelve Apostles (see Matt. 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19, Luke

6:13-16). Though not part of the original Twelve, Paul uses the term

here in Ephesians and in numerous other places in reference to him-

self, because he was sure of his calling.

How

and why does Paul defend his apostolic authority?

Acts 26:9-19

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

1 Cor. 9:1, 2

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Gal. 1:1

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Gal. 1:11-17

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Paul never had any doubt about his call to apostleship. The

Damascus Road experience had a profound effect on him, and it is in

that encounter with Jesus that he received his call, chosen as a special

vessel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15, 22:21). From that moment on, he

was not his own; he belonged to Jesus. It was God’s will that he be an

apostle, an ambassador, a sent one, a messenger of Jesus Christ. It was

a calling Paul accepted with all his heart. His life was never the same

after that experience. Neither the church nor the world were either.

Paul had a dramatic conversion experience on the road to

Damascus. Not many people who are called have had such a

dramatic encounter with God. Nevertheless, God still calls peo-

ple today. How have you experienced God’s call in your life? If

someone were to ask you, What has God called you to do? what

would you say?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

O N DAY

October 3

The Recipients: The Saints in Ephesus

The letter is addressed “to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faith-

ful in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 1:1, NKJV). The early church almost uni-

versally accepted that the Epistle was written to the church at Ephesus,

but some important ancient manuscripts omit the phrase “in Ephesus,”

and hence the problem of whether the Epistle was originally written to

Ephesians. Conservative scholarship generally accepts that the Epistle

was addressed to Ephesus as a letter to be circulated among other

churches in Asia. That explains why Paul omitted any reference to

local persons or problems but, rather, celebrated Christ’s work from a

cosmic perspective, embracing God’s work in “heavenly places,”

Christ’s work on the cross, and the church’s warfare with “principal-

ities and powers” (Eph. 6:12).

Paul uses the word saints quite frequently in his Epistles. Of the

61 times the word is used in the New Testament, 39 are found in

Paul’s writings. Listed below are five such usages. Study each one

and note its implication as to the meaning of saints. 1 Cor. 1:2,

Eph. 4:12, 5:3, Col. 1:26, Rev. 14:12.

S a i n t does not refer to any spiritually elite group but, rather, to all

b e l i e vers. It literally means “set apart”—and here, set apart in Christ

Jesus to be “faithful” in Him. The common notion that saints are sinless

and morally perfect is foreign to the New Testament use of the wo r d .

While saints are to “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of

Jesus” ( R ev. 14:12), the emphasis is not so much on moral perfection as

on faithfulness to Jesus. A saint is a sinner saved by God’s gr a c e .

Also, the saints in Ephesus are “in Christ Jesus.” All those who have

accepted Christ have two addresses: in Ephesus and in Christ, in this

world and in the world to come.

“A little girl who attended worship in a place with a lot of

stained-glass windows was asked what a saint was. ‘A saint is a

person the light shines through,’ she replied. A saint is someone

whose life—speech, actions, attitudes, relationships—points to

Je s u s .” — L i fe Application Bible Commentary: E p h e s i a n s

(Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1996), p. 4. How well have your

actions or words in the past day pointed to Jesus? If you could

do something over, what would it be?

U E S DAY

October 4

G r ace and Pe a c e

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2, NKJV).

Paul used “grace . . . and peace” as part of his customary greeting

in most of his Epistles (Rom. 1:7, 1 Cor. 1:3, 2 Cor. 1:2, Gal. 1:3,

Phil. 1:2, Col. 1:2, etc.). The word for “grace” used here is distinct

from the common Greek form of greeting, which generally expresses

a wish for health and prosperity. Instead of greeting his readers with a

call for health and good wishes, Paul employed a word for “grace”

that was beginning to acquire a new meaning in Christian faith,

emphasizing God’s unmerited favor toward sinners. It is through

God’s initiative and love alone that anyone can be saved from sin, a

thought Paul will later emphasize: “For by grace you have been saved

through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph.

2:8, NKJV).

In addition to grace, Paul wished for his readers “peace.”

The death

and resurrection of Christ brought new meaning to the

idea of “peace” and opened wide doors of new experience and

relationship between humans and God, and among humans them-

selves. Read the following verses: John 14:27; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14,

15; 6:15. H ow do you understand the concept of “ p e a c e ”

expressed here?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The source of both grace and peace are “God our Father and the

Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2, NKJV). The verse places Christ and the

Father in a position of equality, thus recognizing the divinity of Jesus.

Without Jesus, God’s grace could not have been made manifest to

humanity; nor could peace between God and sinners have been pos-

sible. Hence, the focus of the Epistle is on what God has done in

Christ. He is our redemption. We are saved because of His grace. He

is our peace. He is the basis of our new relationship with the Lord.

What has been your own experience of God’s peace? How does

it differ from the kind of peace you find only in the world? What

might you need to do in order to better know and experience the

kind of peace God offers us?

E D N E S D AY

October 5

The T h e m e : U n i t y

“For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the

mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in

Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him,

things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9, 10, RSV).

Read

the above two verses. Notice the basic theme there: unity.

Whom does the Lord plan to unify? How does your understand-

ing of the great controversy, including the fall of Lucifer and

humanity, help you understand the need for this unity? See Isa.

14:12; Col. 1:20, 21; Rev. 12:7.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

In these two verses, Paul sets forth unity as the central theme of the

Epistle. “He was writing to a church . . . consisting of Jews and

Gentiles, Asiatics and Europeans, slaves and freemen—all symbols of

a disrupted world that was to be restored to unity in Christ. This would

necessitate unity of person, family, church, and . . . unity of God’s uni-

ve r s e .”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6,

p. 995.

Paul’s concept of unity has two dimensions. The first is dealing with

the church, in which Jews and Gentiles have been brought together in

one body. The second is universal, in which all things in heaven and

earth move toward an ultimate unity in Christ.

The source, the motive, and the means of this unity among humans

and in the universe must not be located in human needs and ability or

in any evolutionary or historic or mechanical process in nature. The

book of Ephesians points to a higher and surer way. It talks about ulti-

mate unity in the universe in the mind and will of God. All things

move in accordance with “His good pleasure which He purposed in

Himself ” (Eph. 1:9, NKJV).

A small replica of that universal unity, Paul tells the Ephesians,

must be seen now and here in the Christian church.

Why is unity in the church so important? What happens when

there are disunity, discord, and dissension? Who is hurt? What

is impacted? In what practical ways can you, as an individual,

promote an atmosphere of unity in the church?

H U R S D AY

October 6

The Key : “In Christ”

“In Christ” and its variations appear some two hundred times in

Paul’s writings. In Ephesians, it is a key phrase that demonstrates the

depth of Paul’s understanding of what God has accomplished for us

and the fallen universe through the life, death, and resurrection of

Christ. “In Christ,” along with “in Him” and “in whom,” appears more

than thirty times in the Epistle. A majority of these references are used

in a way that shows that God’s eternal purposes in Creation, history,

redemption, and restoration are worked out through Christ. He is the

key to everything we have from God.

Thus, Paul not only recognizes the significance of Christ in His

incarnate mission but boldly affirms that apart from Christ we would

have no salvation, no adoption, no forgiveness of sin, no access to

God, no revelation of His love, no church, no cosmic restoration, and

no future. Thus, in every way Ephesians is a Christ-centered Epistle:

It is a hymn to Jesus, without whom we would be “aliens” and

“strangers” (Eph. 2:12).

According

to the following texts, what has been accomplished for

us “in Christ”? 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 1:7, 10, 11; 3:11, 12; Col. 1:13,

14; 2:10.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Everything we have, or can hope for, as Christians, we can find only

“in Christ.” He has done for us what we could never do for ourselves.

That’s why we owe Him everything; that’s why He must come first in

our lives; that’s why we must surrender our wills to Him; that’s why

it’s so unpardonable to reject Him and what He is to us, for by reject-

ing Him we reject life itself.

Because Christ is all-important and all-sufficient, He must have

the central place in our lives. Our homes, our work, our values,

and our worship must have Him as the focus. “In Christ” God

has made all things possible.

“Christ in us” makes that possibility a reality. What practical

changes do you need to make in your personal life to keep God

central and in focus?

R I D AY

October 7

Further Study:

Paul’s apostleship. “Paul ably vindicated his

position as an apostle of Christ. He declared himself to be an apostle,

‘not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father,

who raised Him from the dead.’ Not from men, but from the highest

Authority in heaven, had he received his commission. And his posi-

tion had been acknowledged by a general council at Jerusalem, with

the decisions of which Paul had complied in all his labors among the

Gentiles.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 387.

Unity. “When men are bound together, not by force or self-interest,

but by love, they show the working of an influence that is above every

human influence. Where this oneness exists, it is evidence that the

image of God is being restored in humanity, that a new principle of

life has been implanted. It shows that there is power in the divine

nature to withstand the supernatural agencies of evil, and that the

grace of God subdues the selfishness inherent in the natural heart.”

—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 678.

Christ’s work. “Through Christ’s redeeming work the government of

God stands justified. The Omnipotent One is made known as the God

of love. Satan’s charges are refuted, and his character unveiled.

Rebellion can never again arise. Sin can never again enter the uni-

verse. Through eternal ages all are secure from apostasy. By love’s

self-sacrifice, the inhabitants of earth and heaven are bound to their

Creator in bonds of indissoluble union.”—Page 26.

Discussion Questions:

●

What can you say to someone who says, “I gave my heart to

Christ, I have accepted His atoning death in my behalf, and I

seek to obey Him to the best of my God-given ability, but I still

feel no peace”?

●

Are there any issues dividing your local church? If so, what

can you do, as a class, to help foster unity?

●

As a class, go back over the verses listed in Thursday’s lesson

about what has been done for us “in Christ.” Have each person

pick one aspect that means the most to them and explain why

they deem it so important.

tor

I N S I D E

The Missing Exams

by J. H. Z

ACHARY

As many as 700 Adventist students study at the state university in

Butari, Rwanda. The Adventist church in the area is too far away and too

small for the students to attend. So the Adventist students worship in the

university’s stadium on Sabbath morning.

Adventists are well known in Rwanda, and most of the professors at the

university accommodate Adventist students when giving their exams. But

occasionally visiting professors from other French-speaking countries are

not so generous.

Nyira and Irene were seniors at the university. One of their required

courses was being taught by a visiting professor. As exam time neared, the

students studied fiercely, for their grade depended entirely on the final

exam. But when the exam schedule was posted, the exam for this course

fell on Sabbath. The girls went to see the professor and asked to take the

exam on a different day.

“No,” the professor answered abruptly. “You must take the examination

with the other students.”

The girls prayed for two days, and then they returned to request a change

in their exam date again. This time the professor was even more harsh than

the first time. Friendly students who knew their dilemma counseled them.

“Surely your God will understand. You ought to take the exam.”

But the girls refused. “Even if we must take the entire class again, we

will not dishonor God’s Sabbath.” Early on Sabbath morning, the girls

slipped out of the dormitory and into the forest nearby to pray. They

returned to the school stadium in time for Sabbath School.

After church ended, Nyira and Irene walked back to their dormitory. On

the way they met some of their classmates, returning from the examina-

tion hall. “Your God surely does love you,” they said. “The examination

has been rescheduled.”

The girls listened, amazed, as they learned that the other students waited

from 8:00 until 10:00, but their professor never came. Finally a teacher

appeared and told the students that they could not find the examinations,

and the exam would have to be rescheduled.

Nyira and Irene rejoiced that God had overruled the stubborn professor

and showed a classroom of students that He does care for His children.

Until his death, J. H. ZACHARY coordinated outreach among the Jews and Muslims in the

North American Division.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

*October 8-14

What God

Has Done

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Rom. 8:15, 16; 1 Cor. 2:7;

Eph. 1:3-14; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8.

Memory Text:

“In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

(Ephesians 1:7, NKJV).

raise and petition. In the original Greek, Ephesians 1:3-14 is one

long sentence through which the apostle introduces major aspects

of Christian theolog y, including the idea that the Godhead wa s

i nvo l ved in the formation of the church—God’s fa m i ly on earth. God

the Father “chose us in Him [in Christ] before the foundation of the

world” (vs. 4, NKJV). It is in Christ that “we have redemption through

His blood” (vs. 7, NKJV). M e a n w hile, the Holy Spirit provides us secu-

rity and guarantees our eternal inheritance (vss. 13, 14).

Paul recognizes that while God acts in history and time, He dwells

in “heavenly places.” The phrase occurs five times in Ephesians in

connection with where our blessings come from (vs. 3), where the

risen Christ is seated (vs. 20), where we, too, will be seated (2:6),

where God’s purposes will be made known because of the church

(3:10), and where originated the powers of darkness with which we

must struggle (6:12).

The Week at a Glance:

What does the Bible mean by the

idea of predestination? According to Ephesians, what has God

done for us in Christ? What does Paul mean by “adoption”? How

has Christ redeemed us?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 15.

U N D AY

October 9

The Chosen

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation

of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him

in love” (Eph. 1:4).

Paul traces the origin of the church in the mind of God (Eph. 1:4, 5).

G o d ’s plan of redemption and His plan for the redeemed are not acci-

dental; they were conceived before creation, before time began. God

f o r med a purpose in His mind: to choose us in Christ. Even before we

ex i s t e d, God saw us through a relationship with Christ, and because of

that He could make us His children. Hence, we are not saved by any-

thing we are or do. We did not influence God; we could not work our

way to God. In fact, when we were not in existence, He already pur-

posed our salvation, so that when we came around, all we would need

to do is accept what Christ off e r s .

How

do the following texts help us understand this idea of predesti-

nation? 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:4, 5; 3:11; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A lot of people get confused over the idea that God chose us before-

hand to be saved, because it implies that some people were chosen

beforehand to be lost. But that’s not the biblical teaching. Instead, God

prepared beforehand the plan of salvation, according to His eternal

purpose, in order that everyone would be saved (1 Tim. 2:6, 2 Pet.

3:9). The plan of salvation itself, which included every human being,

was determined before the world began; what was not determined

beforehand was what our individual responses to that plan would be.

That God knows beforehand that our eternal destiny is not the same as

saying He predetermined that destiny. Salvation has been offered to us

because of what Christ has done for us, a plan worked out for us even

before we were created. The only question is, How do we respond?

God chose beforehand that you should be saved; that is, His

original plan was for you to be with Him forever in a new heaven

and a new earth. Write out a prayer of thanksgiving and praise

for this wonderful hope and what it means to you. Share it with

the class on Sabbath.

O N D AY

October 10

P r aise God for Adopting Us

(Eph. 1:4-6)

Read

Ephesians 1:4-6. What are the three things God does for us as

depicted in these verses?

● Verse 4

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

● Verse 5

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

● Verse 6

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The church had its roots in the mind of God when He conceived the

plan of salvation before the creation of the world. But who would

form the church? Who would be participants of the family of God?

Paul has already given a partial answer in Ephesians 1:4—those who

were chosen in Christ to be “holy and without blame” and walk in

love. “Chosen in Christ” does not indicate any arbitrary choice on the

part of God but an acknowledgment of the divine provision, which

provided salvation for the whole world but made it effective only to

those who claimed it for themselves.

Salvation and eternal life are made available to all as a gift of God

in Jesus (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8, 9), but only “whoever believes in Him”

shall be saved. The universal nature of the gift is predestined. The con-

tingent nature of the gift is determined by the choice of “whoever.”

Paul adds an additional thought: Those who accept God’s redemp-

tive provision in Jesus are “predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus

Christ” (Eph. 2:5, NKJV). Again, it’s not that God chose some and

rejected others; instead, it’s that those who have accepted what Christ

has done for them have simply fulfilled what was originally planned

for them from the start.

Notice

the emphasis on the idea of adoption (vs. 5). Why would Paul

use such a term to describe what God has done for us? See also

Rom. 8:15, 16; Gal. 3:26-29; 4:5.

God’s church is made up of adopted children. Natural children are

orphans and prodigals—outside the family of God because of their sin

and by their own choice to be in rebellion against God. But when they

accept God’s predestined provision, they are adopted into God’s fam-

ily. The relationship now becomes a family relationship, a relationship

founded on love.

Think of someone you love. How does that relationship help you

understand what your relationship with God, your adopted

Father, should be?

U E S D A Y

October 11

Redemption in Christ

(Eph. 1:7, 8)

According

to Ephesians 1:7, 8, through what do we have redemp-

tion?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Can

there be salvation for any of us without blood? See Heb. 9:22.

Redemption means deliverance of a slave through payment of a

price. In the Scriptures, redemption means God’s provision in Christ

to save us from the bondage of sin. The shedding of Christ’s blood on

the cross for our sins has made possible not only the forgiveness of sin

but also redemption and adoption into the family of God (Gal. 4:4-6;

Eph. 1:7, 8). Without Christ, none of these would have been possible.

Forgiveness of sin is free for us; indeed, we cannot put a price on it

or pay for it. But forgiveness on the part of God cost Him much: the

blood of Jesus. Sin by its very nature brings death; where a sinner

ought to die, a substitutionary death was necessary. In the Old

Testament sanctuary system God provided forgiveness on the basis of

shedding an animal’s blood. The whole sacrificial system anticipated

the day when Christ, “the lamb of God,” would take away the sins of

the world (John 1:29). Jesus on the cross paid the penalty for our sins.

His shed blood makes forgiveness of sins possible (Rom. 5:8, 9; Eph.

2:13; Col. 1:20).

Our redemption and adoption are made possible by the Cross,

which was “in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lav-

ished on us” (Eph. 1:7, 8, NIV). Paul uses the word riches six times in

Ephesians (1:7, 18; 2:4, 7; 3:8, 16). We may be poor and destitute in

many ways, but we are bountifully rich in God’s grace. We are free

from the guilt of sin.

Someone asked a wealthy industrialist how much more would sat-

isfy him. “Always a little more,” the multimillionaire replied. Ask a

Christian, and the answer will be: “My God shall supply all your need

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19, NKJV).

“ G r ace is unmerited favo r, and the believer is justified without

a ny merit of his ow n , without any claim to offer to God. He is

j u s t i f ied through the redemption that is in Christ Je s u s , wh o

stands in the courts of heaven as the sinner’s substitute and

s u r e t y.”—Ellen G. W h i t e , Selected Message s , book 1, p . 3 9 8 .

Memorize this Ellen White quote; it will come in handy, e s p e-

c i a l ly when you feel discoura ged or in doubt about your salva-

t i o n .

E D N E S D AY

October 12

The Mystery

(Eph. 1:9-12)

Read

Ephesians 1:9-12. Notice how many times in these few verses

Paul talks about God’s will or purpose being fulfilled. Add them

with how many times that same idea is found in the first eight

verses of the chapter. How does this idea, that of God’s purposes

being fulfilled for us, help you learn to trust Him?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

God’s people have much to praise Him for: election, adoption,

redemption, forgiveness, and acceptance. Today’s lesson adds one

more: a great mystery that God has “made known to us . . . according

to His good pleasure” (vs. 9, NKJV).

Paul uses the word mystery six times in Ephesians. The Greek term

has two meanings: first, something secret and known only to a select

few; second, something formerly hidden but now revealed by God. It

is in the second sense Paul uses the word.

What

is this “mystery” of the will of God that Paul talks about in

Ephesians 1:9-12?

Ephesians 3 identifies it as God’s plan to bring Jews and Gentiles

into one fellowship; that is, to create a common humanity without any

divisions: a church without walls. But there is another dimension to

this mystery. What Christ has accomplished through the Cross by

bringing the Jew and Gentile into one body is only a foretaste of what

God has “set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite

all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9, 10,

RSV). Just as in “the fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4, NKJV) God sent

His Son to redeem and unite the Jew and the Gentile, so He has a plan

to unite “all things in [Him]” (Eph. 1:10, NKJV) in the fullness of

time—that is, when Christ comes the second time.

“This is the divine purpose—the restoration of a lost unity. It must

necessarily be in Christ, because He is the center of all things. . . . The

unity of God’s universe had been broken by sin. The mystery of God’s

will was His plan to restore this unity when the occasion was ready, a

restoration to be accomplished through Christ. That mystery will find

its culmination at the end of the great controversy, when all things in

heaven and on earth will be united in Christ, and the character of the

Godhead will have been vindicated.”—Ellen G. White Comments,

The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1000.

H U R S D AY

October 13

Jews and Gentiles

(Eph. 1:11-14)

In Ephesians 1:11-13, Paul presents an example of the new unity

Christ brings between Jews and Gentiles. He uses the words we and

you—“we have obtained an inheritance” (vs. 11, NKJV); “we who

first trusted in Christ” (vs. 12, NKJV); “you also trusted, after you

heard the word of truth” (vs. 13, NKJV). The “we” refers to Jewish

Christians with whom Paul identifies himself, and “you” refers to

Gentile Christians.

In what sense were Jews first? God chose them first to be His inher-

itance (Deut. 4:20, 9:29, Zech. 2:12). To them were given “the oracles

of God” (Rom. 3:2, NKJV). To them the gospel was preached first

(Rom. 1:16), and, hence, the first to believe in the gospel were the

Jews (John 1:11, 8:31, Acts 1:8, 3:26).

By saying Jews were the first, however, Paul does not attribute any

superiority to Jewish Christians. Indeed, he says in Ephesians 1:13,

“You [Gentile Christians] also trusted” (NKJV) and the Holy Spirit has

become the guarantee of “our [both Jews and Gentiles] inheritance”

(vs. 14).

In God’s kingdom, knowing Christ or coming to Christ first does

not provide any special status. The point is not when we accepted the

gospel but whether we remain true to its claims.

Paul reinforces the certainty of our inheritance by referring to the

work of the Holy Spirit, to whom he gives three designations. First,

He is the Spirit of promise. God promised the Spirit through Jesus to

everyone who repents and believes (Luke 24:49; Gal. 3:14, 16).

Second, the Spirit is God’s seal. A seal is a sign of ownership and

authenticity. God makes the Spirit to dwell within us as a sign that we

are His (see also Rom. 8:14-17, 2 Cor. 1:22). Third, the Spirit is God’s

guarantee. The word guarantee is also translated “a deposit,” “a

pledge.” Through the Spirit, God has made a deposit, a pledge, that He

will fulfill all His promises to both Jews and Gentiles to “the praise of

His glory” (Eph. 1:14, NKJV).

Though the exact experience of salvation varies from individual

to individual, verses 13, 14 speak of three basic steps. Read

through them and write down the processes as expressed there.

In what ways have they reflected your own experience? In what

ways was your own experience different?

Is there anything you can do, or change, to deepen or enrich this

experience? If so, what?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

R I D A Y

October 14

Further Study:

“Before the foundations of the world.” “The plan

for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after

the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of ‘the mystery which hath been

kept in silence through times eternal.’ Rom. 16:25, R. V. It was an

unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foun-

dation of God’s throne. . . . God did not ordain that sin should exist,

but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible

emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to

give His only-begotten Son, ‘that whosoever believeth in Him should

not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16.”—Ellen G. White,

The Desire of Ages, p. 22.

God’s predestination. “In the council of heaven, provision was

made that men, though transgressors, should not perish in their dis-

obedience, but, through faith in Christ as their substitute and surety,

might become the elect of God, predestinated unto the adoption of

children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of

His will. God wills that all men should be saved. . . . Those who per-

ish will perish because they refuse to be adopted as children of God

through Christ Jesus.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible

Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1114.

Discussion Questions:

●

Have people read aloud the prayers of thanksgiving and praise

they wrote in response to Sunday’s lesson. What have you learned

from each other?

●

Imagine what it must be like to be an orphan who is adopted

into a loving, caring family that loves that orphan as much as it

would a natural family member. How does that analogy help you

(a) understand God’s love for you and (b) how you should treat

your brothers and sisters in the Lord?

● Discuss what you can do, as a class, to help someone in your

church—maybe a new member or someone really discouraged or

the young people—understand what it means to be part of God’s

family.

tor

I N S I D E

A Mother’s Prayer

by M

ARTA DE

ESUS

ANCHEZ DE

ODOY

Armando had been a challenging child. He started taking drugs when he

was 12 years old, and he joined a gang at 16. His mother, Marta, begged

God to change him. One day, Armando announced that he was going to

join the military.

Several months later, Armando returned home on leave. “Mother,” he

said, “I am a changed person. I met some Christians, and we are studying

the Bible together.”

Marta began to cry. She was glad that her son was changing, but she

worried that these people would take her son away from the church to

which the family belonged.

When she stated her concerns, Armando told her, “Mother, during our

Bible studies I realized that what our church believes is wrong. Many

things our church teaches are not in the Bible.” Armando explained that he

was studying the Bible with some Adventists, sincere and good people

who take their beliefs from the Bible alone. Reluctantly Marta agreed that

God was answering her prayer and leading her son.

One day Armando announced that he had found the Adventist church in

town. “Mother,” he said, “come with me to church.” She went with her

son, and from that day Armando and his mother worshiped together.

Marta cannot read, so Armando read the Bible to her, explaining diffi-

cult texts as they went. Marta absorbed the new truths and memorized

many Bible texts. Armando and his mother were baptized together a few

months later.

Because she was illiterate, Marta was timid about talking to others

about her faith. God removed her fear, and she began sharing her faith

with her neighbors. She has led 13 of her neighbors to the Lord and shares

her faith with people in jail and in the hospital.

At first Marta’s husband was not interested in her new faith. But she

sometimes asked him to read the Bible to her, and soon she noticed that

he was reading the Bible for himself. As he saw the changes in his wife

and son, he was more willing to let them attend this strange new church.

Marta is surprised at how God changes people by His Spirit. “God has

given me blessings I could never have imagined,” she says with a smile.

“He has given me better health than I have had in years. But the biggest

blessing is the change He brought about in Armando.”

ARTA DE

ESUS

ANCHEZ DE

ODOY

lives in Honduras, where she sells tamales and shares

her faith.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

*October 15-21

Praise and

Prayer

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Luke 1:37; Eph. 1:15-23;

Col. 4:5; James 2:20, 26; 3:13, 17.

Memory Text:

“And God placed all things under his feet and

appointed him to be head over everything for the churc h ”

(Ephesians 1:22, NIV).

raise and praye r. Paul was a man who had many struggles, many

trials, many griefs; but he was also a man of praise and praye r.

Thus, after recounting in the earlier verses the wonderful things

God has done for us in Christ, he then gives thanks to God for the fa i t h

of the church in Ephesus because, as he said, he has heard, not only of

their faith but of their “love unto all the saints” (Eph. 1:15). He then tells

about the prayer of intercession he makes in behalf of the Ephesians.

So often we tend to think of prayer only for those who are in bad

shape, those who really need prayer; but here we have Paul praying for

those who, apparently, are doing ve r y well. The lesson for us, of course,

is to take nothing for granted: Whether people we know are thriving in

their faith or barely hanging on, prayer needs to be offered in their

behalf.

M e a n w hile, Pa u l ’s prayer of intercession gives us greater insight into

what God has done for us in Christ and the great hope that’s ours as a

result.

The Week at a Glance:

What was the spiritual state of

the church at Ephesus? How is love related to faith for the

Christian? How do we obtain knowledge of God? How does Paul

describe God’s power?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 22.

U N D AY

October 16

Faith and Love

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus

and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you,

making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:15, 16, NKJV).

The Greek word for “therefore” can also be translated “for this rea-

son” ( N I V ) . For the reason of “eve r y spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3,

N K J V ) , with which God has blessed the church at Ephesus, Paul bu r s t s

f o r th in thanksgiving. These blessings, as we saw last week, include

election, adoption, redemption, forg iveness, unity in Christ, and the

ultimate restoration of all creation to its original purpose (vss. 3-14).

Christian thanksgiving goes beyond merely being thankful.

T h a n k s g iving must lead to a life that reflects and shares God’s bl e s s-

ings in active, meaningful, and day - t o - d ay living. With the Ephesians,

that seemed to be the case. T h ey were Christians who lived their pro-

fession. Indeed, while jailed, Paul heard about their “faith in the Lord

Jesus” and “love for all the saints” (vss. 15, 16, NKJV). To them

Christianity was more than a system of beliefs; it was a call to trans-

f o r med living and dynamic relationship. If faith leads to belief, belief

must lead to action. For faith works through love (Gal. 5:6), and “fa i t h

without works is dead” ( J ames 2:20, 26).

H o w

would you tie in this idea of “ l ove for all saints” with the notion

that “faith without wo r ks is dead”? How are faith and love related?

The faith of the Ephesians was a living faith. They believed in the

risen Christ and confessed that through Him God has acted for the for-

giveness and salvation of humankind. But faith is more than belief,

more than mere intellectual assent. Faith is also the spiritual quality of

being faithful, and the Ephesian church was faithful and loyal to

Christ and His claims. Their faith in Jesus had its natural outcome:

“love for all the saints” (vs. 15)—both Jews and Gentiles.

Love, faith, and hope are the basic graces that mark the Christian

life (1 Cor. 13:13; Col. 1:4, 5). However orthodox our doctrines, how-

ever laudable our worship and witness, and however faithful our stew-

ardship, we cannot be Christians until we are marked by a double

love—love to God, love to people. Is this not the commandment Jesus

gave (Matt. 22:37-39)? Is it possible to love God and not to love His

people? (See 1 John 4:20, 21.)

How, as a Christian, can you express your love for others? What

outward, tangible, visible effort can you make in the next few

days to show someone that your faith in Christ is real?

O N D A Y

October 17

Wisdom and the Know l e d g e of God

(Eph. 1:17)

Having noted the first part of Paul’s prayer—thanksgiving for the

life of faith and love—we now turn to the intercessory aspect of the

apostle’s petition (Eph. 1:17-23). We are often tempted to make our

petitions naive, concentrating on material- and self-oriented needs.

The nobler aspect of petition is intercession, pleading in someone

else’s behalf. Paul prays that God may give the Ephesians “the spirit

of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (vs. 17, NKJV).

According

to these texts (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 2:2; 4:5; 9:10; 11:12;

Col. 4:5; James 3:13, 17), is biblical wisdom only head knowledge?

Justify your answer.

Philosophy may say “Know thyself.” Psychology may assert that in

understanding self and its potential, one can find life’s meaning. But

there is no knowledge greater than the knowledge of God, and the

greatest knowledge that we can have about God is knowledge that He

Himself reveals to us.

How

has God revealed Himself to us?

Ps. 19:1

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

John 5:39

____________________________________________________________________

John 14:9, 10

____________________________________________________________________

Rom. 1:19-21

____________________________________________________________________

Heb. 1:1-3

____________________________________________________________________

G o d ’s revelation makes possible “the knowledge of him” (Eph. 1:17),

but “we cannot rightly understand or appreciate divine revelation

without the aid of that Spirit by whom the word was give n .”—Ellen G.

White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 241. Hence, Paul prays for

the enlightenment of “the eyes of your heart” (vs. 18, NIV). B e l i e ve r s

need more than rational knowledge. T h e y need spiritual insight so that,

with the inner eyes of the heart, they may know better four great tru t h s :

“the hope of his calling,” “the glory of his inheritance” (vs. 18), “ t h e

working of his mighty power” (vs. 19), and Christ’s headship over the

church (vss. 22, 23).

U E S D A Y

October 18

The Hope and Inheritance

(Eph. 1:18)

Read

Ephesians 1:18. In your own words, write out what you believe

the Lord is telling us with this single text.

In addition to wisdom and knowledge, Paul prays that the Ephesian

church would comprehend fully “the hope of his calling” and “the

riches of the glory of his inheritance” (vs. 18). In Pa u l ’s writings, c a l l -

i n g underscores both Christian priv i l ege and responsibility. God has

called us to belong to Christ, to be His saints (Rom. 1:6, 7), and to have

“ f e l l owship with his Son” (1 Cor. 1:9, NIV). Because of God’s call,

those of us who were not His people have become His people ( R o m .

9 : 2 4 ) . To those who are called, Christ becomes “the power of God and

the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24, NKJV). B e l i evers are called to eter-

nal life (1 Tim. 6:12). The call makes them free and enables them to

“ s e r ve one another in love” (Gal. 5:13, NIV). The call ensures a har-

monious fellowship, cutting across race and class, as we are “called in

one body” (Col. 3:15, NKJV) and we are charged to lead a life “wo r-

t h y of the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV). This calling expects us “not . . .

to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thess. 4:7, NIV) and a peaceful

life (Col. 3:15)— “ wo r t hy of God who calls you into His own kingdom

and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12, NKJV). This call to the kingdom is “the

u p ward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14, NKJV), which should

m o t i vate us to press forward in the Christian race.

Such is the magnitude of God’s call. It covers the past (forgiveness),

embraces the present (life of fellowship and peace), and awaits the

future for that “blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God

and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13, NKJV). This is the “hope to

which he has called you” (Eph. 1:18, NIV), says Paul, and he prays

that we may be enlightened to see its enormity and loftiness.

To hope, Paul adds “the riches of his glorious inheritance” (vs. 18,

NIV). Inheritance can be understood in two ways. First, believers are

God’s heritage: “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17,

NKJV). Second, inheritance is what saints receive from God as His

heirs. The latter suggests that inheritance is both a present privilege in

that we have the joy of salvation now and a future reward that has been

guaranteed and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, 14). This final

reward “is . . . kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4, RSV).

The Bible says we are to be “worthy of God who calls you into

His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12, NKJV). As sinners,

we can never be worthy enough to be saved; but because we are

saved, we now want to live “worthy of God.” In this context,

what changes do you need to make in order to exhibit this wor-

thiness in your own life?

E D N E S D A Y

October 19

The Wo rking of His Mighty Power

(Eph.

1:19-21)

Paul’s prayer has dwelt on the need for wisdom and knowledge and

for the understanding of God’s calling and inheritance. Now the apos-

tle concentrates on the need to know “what is the exceeding greatness

of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His

mighty power” (Eph. 1:19, NKJV).

One

characteristic of God is omnipotence. That means God is all-

powerful. How is His power manifested? Give some examples with

supporting texts. See, for example, Gen. 2:7, Isa. 66:22, Luke 1:37,

2 Cor. 5:17, 1 Thess. 4:16.

Paul uses four Greek words in Ephesians 1:19 to emphasize the all-

inclusive, incomparable nature of God’s power. First, “the exceeding

greatness of his power,” the word for “power” is dunamis, denoting

innate ability to accomplish what one has set out to do. The other three

words are “according to the working [energeia] of his mighty [might

= ischys] power [kratos].” Paul heaps word upon word, almost similar

in meaning, to stress the immeasurable and absolute nature of what

God’s power has accomplished in the universe. Energeia suggests

activity and effectiveness. God’s power is at work. Ischys refers to

intrinsic strength or might. Kratos, used in the New Testament in con-

nection with only God or His Word, suggests the power that subdues

or is victorious. Putting these four words together, we have a grand

declaration: “The exceeding greatness of God’s power is seen in what

He has set out to accomplish. This He did with all His strength, win-

ning a great victory by subduing and defeating His opponent.”

The apostle immediately adds that this supreme demonstration of

God’s power is seen in what God has “accomplished in Christ” (Eph.

1:20, RSV). Paul defines this attainment in three ideas:

Resurrection: “He raised him from the dead” (vs. 20). To Paul, the

supreme manifestation of God’s love is the death of Christ (Rom. 5:8),

and the supreme manifestation of God’s power is Christ’s resurrection

(Eph. 1:19, 20).

Exaltation: “Seated Him at His right hand” (vs. 20, NKJV).

Universal dominion: “He put all things under His feet” (vs. 22,

NKJV). Christ is the Lord of the universe.

The power that brought Christ from the dead is the same power

that saves us from sin to salvation. Why, then, do we continue to

fall as much as we do if we have such an incredible power work-

ing in us? Where must the fault lie? How do our own choices

determine the extent of what God will do in us?

H U R S D AY

October 20

The Churc h , C h r i s t ’s Body

How

does Paul declare the majesty and glory of Christ’s ultimate vic-

tory over Satan and His intimate relationship with the church?

Eph. 1:20-23.

The fourth entreaty in Pa u l ’s prayer is a masterful mix of praise and

petition. Praise because of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ.

Petition that the believers may know that Christ’s victory over death

and His exaltation had two effects of cosmic significance. First, God

has placed Christ above “all principality and power and might and

dominion, and eve ry name that is named, not only in this age but also

in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet” ( E p h .

1:21, 22, NKJV). Here is the signal to the universe that in the gr e a t

cosmic battle between Christ and Satan, Christ has won the ultimate

v i c t o r y, and now all things are put under Him. He is the acknow l-

edged Lord of all (Phil. 2:9-11).

S e c o n d, God has made Christ “head over all things to the church,

which is His body” (Eph. 1:22, 23, NKJV).

Dwell

on the implications of Ephesians 1:23, when it says that the

church is Christ’s body. What does that mean? What kind of

responsibilities does that entail for those who are members of that

body? See also 1 Cor. 12:12-25.

The body metaphor emphasizes the essential unity of the church

with/in Christ. The ve ry existence of the church as a community of

b e l i e vers is dependent upon the saving work of Christ. Its founding

and its ultimate destination in the new earth are all grounded in Him.

A p a r t from Christ, there is no church. The risen Lord is the Lord not

o n ly of the universe but also of the church. Hence Paul says, He is the

Head of the church “which is his body” (Eph. 1:23). As the Head, the

source and locus of authority and mission of the church is Christ.

Because of this closeness, this oneness of the church as the body

of Christ, God has filled the church with “fullness of Him who fi l l s

all in all” (vs. 23, NKJV). Here is perfect assurance: Christ fills the

church with eve ry blessing and gift (Eph. 4:11-16) in order that the

church may remain faithful to Him as His body.

What wo rds of admonition and counsel would you give to

someone (in light of today ’s lesson) who said, “I don’t need to

be part of any church or organized body in order to serve the

L o r d ” ?

R I D AY

October 21

Further Study:

Saving faith. “It is not enough to believe about

Christ; we must believe in Him. . . . Saving faith is a transaction by

which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation

with God. . . . A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding

trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.”—Ellen G.

White, The Desire of Ages, p. 347.

On God’s revelation. “The revelation of Himself that God has given

in His word is for our study. This we may seek to understand. But

beyond this we are not to penetrate. The highest intellect may tax itself

until it is wearied out in conjectures regarding the nature of God; but

the effort will be fruitless. This problem has not been given us to

solve. No human mind can comprehend God. Let not finite man

attempt to interpret Him. . . . Here silence is eloquence. The

Omniscient One is above discussion.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies

for the Church, vol. 8, p. 279.

Christ, the Head of the church. “Very close and sacred is the rela-

tion between Christ and His church—He the bridegroom, and the

church the bride; He the head, and the church the body. Connection

with Christ, then, involves connection with His church. . . .

“Loyalty to Christ demands the faithful performance of church

duties. This is an important part of one’s training; and in a church

imbued with the Master’s life, it will lead directly to effort for the

world without.”—Ellen G. White, Education, pp. 268, 269.

Discussion Questions:

●

As a class, review the essence of Paul’s prayer, as revealed in

the texts for this week. For what, essentially, is he praying? Is this

something you should be praying for, as well? Discuss.

●

Paul prays for wisdom and knowledge in order that the believ-

ers may fully know God. For the Greeks, to know God means to

know Him intellectually; in the Hebrew sense, it means to know

Him experientially. Discuss the difference between the two.

●

In light of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:20-23 about the vic-

tory Christ has won, discuss, as a class, the important question of

why the battle with Satan and sin still continues. What insights in

our understanding of the great controversy help us answer this

question?

tor

I N S I D E

The Extra Day of School

by J

ULIA

OSINKOVA

Julia Kosinkova is an elementary school teacher in Bulgaria. At the end

of the school year, the principal told the teachers that the schools had to

make up two days of classes. However, instead of extending the school

year two days, the authorities had decided to hold classes on two

Saturdays.

Julia immediately applied to the principal to be absent on these two

days. The first Saturday was designated as a sports day, so the principal

gave her permission to have the day off. However, the second Saturday he

could not excuse. It would be the last day of classes, and in Bulgaria,

teachers give their students their final grades this day. Children usually

bring the teacher gifts, and the day becomes more like a celebration. When

Julia asked to be absent on this day, the principal said No. “If you insist on

having the day off,” he said, “I will be forced to fire you.”

Julia did not want to lose her job, but she told the principal that she

would not be present on Saturday, even if she lost her job. Then she went

home and prayed about the situation.

A few days later the principal summoned Julia to his office. Once more

he asked her to come to school on the last day. “It is such a big day for the

children and the school,” he said, “and you know that only the children’s

official teacher can give the students their record books.” Still Julia

refused, saying that Saturday was not a holiday or just a day off for her; it

was her Sabbath.

The principal asked Julia to send her pastor to see him. When the pas-

tor arrived, the principal asked if he could give Julia special permission to

miss one day in church so that she would not be fired from her job. “I can-

not do that,” the pastor explained. “God commands His children to keep

the Sabbath day holy, and no human—not a pastor, priest, or judge—can

give permission to break God’s law.”

The principal thanked the pastor and asked him for a book to read that

would help him understand Julia’s faith.

A few days later the principal called Julia into his office. “I think I have

found a solution for our problem,” he said, smiling. “I will ask your stu-

dents to come to class on Sunday instead of Saturday. Since the children

were planning to go on a field trip this day anyway, they can combine the

trip with the school closing ceremonies.” Julia thanked the principal and

made arrangements with the children. In her heart she knew that God had

worked a miracle on her behalf.

ULIA

OSINKOVA

teaches primary school in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

*October 22-28

The Church: God’s

Workmanship

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Rom. 3:24-28; 6:8-11;

2 Cor. 5:18; Eph. 2:1-10; Col. 2:12, 13.

Memory Text:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith,

and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest

anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9, NKJV).

renchman Michael Foucault once advocated tearing down all

prisons and letting the prisoners go free. W hy? Mssr. Fo u c a u l t

b e l i e ved that concepts of morality, or right and wrong, good and

evil, were purely human constructs, human inventions created by peo-

ple in power in order to keep other people down. Therefore, taking his

beliefs to their logical conclusion, he stated that even the idea of crimi-

nality was a human invention, and thus all the prisoners should be set

free.

However extreme his idea, it’s indicative of the prevailing sentiment

in many places that there is no such thing as sin and that such ideas as

morality and right and wrong are mere opinions, nothing more.

This week’s lesson—though ending on a hopeful and positive

note—begins with a clear expression of the reality of sin and the

inevitability of its consequence: death (which is hardly a human con-

struct, to be sure). This week, let’s see what Paul has to say, not only

about evil but also about the only solution to it.

The Week at a Glance:

Before Christ, what was our con-

dition like? Why and how did God show us grace and mercy?

What does being God’s workmanship involve? How are we saved?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 29.

U N D AY

October 23

Dead in Sin

(Eph. 2:1-3)

From the time Adam and Eve chose to follow their own will instead

of God’s, sin has become the lot of the human race. “Just as through

one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death

spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12, NKJV). And

because sin is universal (Rom. 3:23), death is also.

How

do the following texts help us understand the nature of sin?

Isa. 59:2

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Rom. 14:23

____________________________________________________________________

James 1:15

____________________________________________________________________

1 John 3:4

____________________________________________________________________

Ephesians 2:2, 3 tells three things about unbelievers. First, they

lived “like the rest of the world” (vs. 2, NLT) in disobedience to God

and disunity among themselves. To be a friend of the world is to be an

enemy of God (James 4:4), and as enemies they lived a life of dark-

ness and alienation. Second, they followed “the prince of the power of

the air” (Eph. 2:2, NKJV). The prince is Satan. Jesus called him “the

prince of this world” (John 12:31). While some would dismiss Satan

as a myth, the Bible tells us he is a reality—“a roaring lion,” out to

devour God’s people (1 Pet. 5:8), and an “accuser of our brethren”

(Rev. 12:10) who leads men and women to disobey God (Eph. 2:2).

Third, they are corrupt and “by nature children of wrath” (vs. 3,

NKJV). Sin corrupts everything—mind, thought, action, desire, will,

etc.—and, as such, their nature is depraved and within them there is a

perpetual conflict. This spiritually corrupt and bankrupt nature makes

sinners the “children of wrath” (vs. 3, NKJV)—children deserving

God’s judgment.

So, what is the status of unbelievers? They are dead in sin. They

have sealed their own fate by choosing to live “the desires of the flesh”

(vs. 3) and becoming children subject to God’s wrath. They are dead—

dead in a sense of finality, humanly speaking.

Look up James 4:4. What does it mean to be “a friend of the

world”? How are we, as Christians, to understand this impor-

tant point (after all, to be a friend of the world is to be at enmity

with God), especially in light of John 3:16, which says that God

loves the world? Prepare to discuss your answers in class.

O N D AY

October 24

“But God . . .”

Paul was a master in conveying God’s great truths. In Ephesians

2:1-3, He describes the pathetic plight of unbelievers: dead in sin,

slaves of Satan, walking according to the lusts of the flesh, con-

demned as children of wrath, hopeless and destitute, unable to save

themselves. In verse 4, the apostle introduces the glorious alternative

available to this pathetic lot in two dramatic words, “But God.”

These two words may be among the Bible’s most beautiful words.

We were dead, “but God”; we were rebels, “but God”; we were under

judgment of death, “but God”; we were aliens and strangers, “but

God”; Satan may seem triumphant, “but God.” As long as those two

words are in biblical vocabulary, we have hope.

Look

up the following texts and note how the phrase “but God” is

used: Psalm 73:26; Acts 13:29, 30; Romans 5:7, 8; 6:16, 17;

Philippians 2:27. What hope is seen there for us?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Why did God come forward to deliver us from the bondage of

death? Why did God choose to rescue us from the clutches of sin?

Why didn’t He let Adam and Eve perish in their choice? Why didn’t

He make Himself new creatures who would love and follow His way?

The apostle provides two answers. First, because God “is rich in

m e r c y” (Eph. 2:4). M e r c y is intrinsic to the nature of God: “(‘The Lord

your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy yo u ’ ”

(Deut. 4:31, NKJV), for “He is good! . . . His mercy endures forever”

(Ps. 106:1, NKJV). M e r c y is so important to the salvation process that

the redeemed are called “vessels of mercy” (Rom. 9:23, NKJV).

Second, “because of His great love with which He loved us” (Eph.

2:4, NKJV). God’s love—selfless on the part of the giver, undeserved

on the part of the receiver—is the motivation for giving “His only

begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have

everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). God’s “gift of mercy and love is

as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of rain that refresh

the earth.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies to the Church, vol. 9, p. 190.

Write a paragraph that begins, “I [your name] was [talk about

your spiritual and mental state before you knew the Lord], but

God [now write out what He has done for you through Christ].”

U E S D A Y

October 25

“Made Us A l i ve”

(Eph. 2:5, NKJV)

When he speaks of God’s grace, love, and mercy toward sinners,

Paul repeatedly uses such superlatives as “riches,” “rich,” “great,” and

“ e x c e e d i n g .” Such usage shows the supreme value this form e r

Pharisee placed on salvation as God’s gift and not a result of human

works. Ephesians 2:1-8 clearly outlines the movement of sinners from

death to life.

Read

Ephesians 2:5, 6 and note three things God does for us in

Christ. The first few words are given to you.

He has “quickened us”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He “raised us”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He “made us sit”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In Greek, each of the above phrases begins with the prefix sun,

meaning “together with.” This indicates that all believers will share

these blessings together with one another and together with Christ.

First, He “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:5, NKJV).

Those who believe in Christ and die with Him become participants of

His resurrection power, and they become spiritually alive together

with the risen Lord (Rom. 6:8-11).

How

have you experienced being “made alive in Christ”?

Second, He “raised us up” (Eph. 2:6, NKJV). This raising up in

Christ is not without purpose: We are to live for Him. The new life we

as Christians enjoy must be a witness to the power of Christ’s resur-

rection by revealing that power in our life and character.

How

have you experienced being “raised up” by Christ?

Third, He “made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”

(vs. 6). The Christian’s ultimate privilege will be that of sitting with

Christ and reigning with Him (2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 22:5). Even now we

can be examples to the universe of His enduring love and justice. Even

now we can sit in “heavenly places” with Jesus when we, by faith, live

in intimacy with Him.

H ow have you experienced this “sitting together” with Jesus now ?

E D N E S D A Y

October 26

By G ra ce T h ro u g h Fa i t h

(Rom. 3:24-28; Eph. 2:8, 9;

Titus 3:4-7)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not

of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should

boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9, NKJV).

These two verses summarize the heart of Paul’s gospel. Paul’s the-

sis is that grace is God’s part in salvation, faith is the human response,

and the entire salvation experience that comes by grace through faith

is a gift of God, not of works.

G ra c e and f a i t h are the key words here. How do we understand them?

Grace refers to God’s initiative and the basis of our redemption

from sin. As sinners we deserve death, and God offers us life. We are

separated from Him and from one another, and He offers us recon-

ciliation. We are under bondage to sin and judgment, and He provides

us freedom. We do not deserve any of what He offers, because we

have sinned and stand in rebellion against God (Col. 1:21). Hence,

grace is often defined as God’s unmerited favor to us.

Grace is God’s sovereign initiative and activity for the salvation of

sinners. This grace appeared in the “fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4,

NKJV) in the historic event of Jesus Christ—more specifically, the act

of Christ on the cross. We have no part in either the conception or exe-

cution of salvation. It is God’s gift to “whoever believes” in Jesus

(John 3:16, NKJV).

R e a d

2 Corinthians 5:18. H ow does this text help us better unders t a n d

the concept of grace? Who did the re c o n c i l i n g , and for whom?

Faith is the human response to God’s provision. In a Christian

sense, faith is not a virtue we develop on our own. It is a response of

wonder at what God has done to redeem us from sin and a ready

acceptance of God’s operating in our lives. Saving faith is a change of

allegiance—from self to God, from denial or indifference to God’s

claims to unreserved acceptance. Faith opens the heart to the in-

dwelling of Christ. As such, it cannot originate in the carnal heart. It

is “the gift of God, but the power to exercise it is ours. Faith is the hand

by which the soul takes hold upon the divine offers of grace and

mercy.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 431.

How would you help someone who says, “I am just so weak in

faith. I believe, but my faith wavers so much”? What practical

steps can we take to make our faith stronger? How does what we

read, think, and say impact our faith?

H U R S D AY

October 27

“ We A re His Wo rkmanship”

(Eph. 2:10)

Paul

stresses so clearly in Ephesians 2:8, 9 that we are not saved by

works. Then, immediately, in verse 10, he says that we were not

only “created in Christ Jesus unto good works” but that we were

“before ordained” to walk in those good works. Is there a contra-

diction here? How do you understand what Paul is saying in these

three verses?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Paul’s salvation story closes with the affirmation that “we are God’s

workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God

prepared in advance for us to do” (vs. 10, NIV). We as individual

Christians or as a community of faith owe our existence to God’s

grace. We are His workmanship, His masterpiece, His work of art,

created in Christ Jesus.

This ought not to be a matter of pride. Paul has warned against such

boasting in verse 9: “Not of works, lest anyone should boast” (NKJV).

Our works, however good and great and lasting they may be, cannot

save us. In salvation, self-congratulation has no place. God expects

only self-denial, self-death, in order that Christ may reign in our hearts

as supreme—without any competitor. “Only the covering which

Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God’s

presence. . . . This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one

thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a per-

fect character, and this character He offers to impart to us.”—Ellen G.

White, Maranatha, p. 78.

Christians must guard against two fallacies. First, the idea that we

need to add something of our own to God’s grace. Second, freedom in

Christ frees us from obedience to His claims.

Yes, we are His workmanship. We are a new creation by His grace

through faith. But we are new creatures in Christ “to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do” (vs. 10, NIV). Does this

mean our works are a prerequisite to our salvation? Far from it. But

they are a requisite of a saved life. Paul’s appeal is for a life and a

lifestyle consistent with the demands of faith. In effect, the apostle is

saying: “Yes, you are saved by faith. You are saved by the free grace

of God. But you are saved to live. Your faith experience must move

from believing to living. You must live out your salvation. That

involves a lifestyle of obedience, just like our great model—Christ

Jesus—who obeyed even to the point of humiliation and death (Phil.

2:5-12). And, furthermore, your Christian walk is your personal

responsibility; no one else can do it for you.”

R I D A Y

October 28

Further Study:

Righteousness by faith alone. “Let the subject be

made distinct and plain that it is not possible to effect anything in our

standing before God or in the gift of God to us through creature merit.

Should faith and works purchase the gift of salvation for anyone, then

the Creator is under obligation to the creature. Here is an opportunity

for falsehood to be accepted as truth. . . . If man cannot, by any of his

good works, merit salvation, then it must be wholly of grace, received

by man as a sinner because he receives and believes in Jesus. It is

wholly a free gift. Justification by faith is placed beyond controversy.”

—Ellen G. White, Faith and Works, pp. 19, 20.

On fruit-bearing. “Those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus

will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, ‘love, joy, peace, long-suff e r i n g ,

gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ Galatians 5:22,

23. T h ey will no longer fashion themselves according to the form e r

lusts, but by the faith of the Son of God they will follow in His steps,

reflect His character, and purify themselves even as He is pure. T h e

things they once hated they now love, and the things they once love d

t h ey hate. The proud and self-assert i ve become meek and low ly in

h e a rt. The vain and supercilious become serious and unobtru s ive. T h e

d r u n k en become sober, and the profligate pure. The vain customs and

fashions of the world are laid aside.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ,

p. 58.

Discussion Questions:

●

Discuss the question asked at the end of Sunday’s study about

friendship with the world and what that means.

●

As a class, discuss the two Ellen G. White quotes listed above.

How do you harmonize the teachings presented there?

●

Talk about this idea of morals and values and ideas of right

and wrong being only relative. Are there some ideas of right and

wrong that are purely relative, subjective, and personal, or is

everything absolute?

●

What can you do as a class to help everyone in your local

church better understand the great truth of salvation by faith

alone?

tor

I N S I D E

The Church

That Would Not Burn

by E

RIGA

ICTOR

S o u t h e r n Sudan has been a battleground for almost 40 years. Guerr i l l a

soldiers repeatedly invade villages, bu rn homes, rape women, and terr o r i z e

the people. Familes have been separated, and thousands have been killed.

In the village of Loa stands the first A d v entist church built in southern

Sudan. Members continued to worship there even after other villagers had

fled. But the men of the congr e gation refused to join the army or to bear

a rms. Some soldiers thought that the A d ventists refused to join their army

because they supported the guerrilla troops from the north. Others were jeal-

ous that A d v entists were not forced to join the army.

One day some soldiers decided to bu rn down the A d ventist church, hop-

ing to force the A d v entists to join the military. At night they lit match after

match and tossed them onto the dry thatched roof. But the roof would not

catch fire. Fi n a l ly one man said, “This is wrong, or we would have been abl e

to bu rn this church down with one match.” Others disagr e e d, and fi g h t i n g

b r o k e out among the troubl e m a ker s.

N e xt the troops decided to force the A d ventist men into the military. On

Sabbath, they surrounded the church and waited for the service to end.

When the congr egation came outside, the soldiers rounded up the men and

marched them to their camp amid shouts of triumph.

The A d ventist men were taken to the base commander, who interv i ewe d

them one by one. The men each explained that they had been taken by force.

The commander released all those who performed important community

duties, such as teachers.

When the soldiers who had captured the A d v entists saw that they we r e

r e l e a s e d, they threatened to go home too. The commander told them to think

c a r e f u l l y about their actions. “We have been in several dangerous

situations lately, but God has protected us. Perhaps it is because of the

p r ayers of these A d v entists that we have been saved. If you mistreat these

people because of their faith, you may find yourself fighting against God.

And remember, the day that these A d ventists flee their village, God’s pro-

tection may leave as we l l .”

Three months later fighting in the area gr ew worse. When the A d v e n t i s t s

s t a rted to leave, other villagers left as well, for they believed that the safest

place to be was with God’s people.

P r ay that the fighting in Southern Sudan will end, and God’s people will

be able to return to their homes and fa r ms.

ERIGA VICTOR is a teacher in Adjumani, a Sudanese settlement in northern Uganda.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

October 29–November 4

The

C h u r c h

Without Wa l l s

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Rom. 3:20-31, 5:12-18,

2 Cor. 5:17-19, Eph. 2:11-22, Col. 1:20-22.

Memory Text:

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made

both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation”

(Ephesians 2:14, NKJV).

he impossible possibility: 1 + 1 = 1. Impossible? Not so when

it comes to the mathematics of the gospel of Christ. Paul’s

forceful message this week is: What is impossible in human

equation is possible under divine power and provision. Christ has cre-

ated “in Himself one new man from the two” (Eph. 2:15, NKJV), and

this He did only through His blood, shed on the cross in behalf of all

humanity, Jews and Gentiles.

The transforming power of the Cross creates a new humanity in

which “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,

there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”

(Gal. 3:28, 29, NKJV). The good news is that while differences may

exist between persons, genders, cultures, races, and nations, the ulti-

mate divine purpose is to bring all created order into one unity “in

Christ” (Eph. 1:10). All these distinctions, though real, are superseded

by the unity we have in Jesus.

The Week at a Glance:

What was the position of Gentiles

before they found Christ? What was the end purpose of God in

making Israel His chosen people? How were the walls of separa-

tion between people torn down? What were the results of Christ’s

ministry of reconciliation? In what sense are we God’s family and

temple?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 5.

U N D AY

October 30

Outside of Christ: A l i e n a t i o n

(Eph. 2:11, 12)

Having shown in the first part of Ephesians 2 that God’s grace has

brought the free gift of salvation to individuals, the apostle, from verse

11, shifts his focus to what God has done to bring about reconciliation

to hitherto divided communities.

Ephesians 2:11, 12 Paul mentions four disabilities of the Gentiles

who lived without Christ. Identify them:

●_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Paul begins on a practical note. Name-calling is both unchristian

and offensive. Jews called the Gentiles uncircumcised in a derogatory

sense and called themselves circumcised in a sense of pride. Paul

declares the futility of such name-calling by saying the circumcision

of the Jews was, after all, “made in the flesh by hands” (Eph. 2:11,

NKJV). Although circumcision had its spiritual significance at one

time, now in Christ it is surpassed by the circumcision of the heart—

a spiritual covenant available to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

Romans Paul lists the privileges of the Jews (Rom. 3:1, 2; 9:3-5).

What were those privileges, and in light of what Paul said here

about the state of the Gentiles, what responsibilities should have

come with those privileges and advantages?

In contrast to the Jews, the Gentiles were excluded from the common-

wealth of God. T h e y had no part in the covenant of promise. T h e y had

no hope and, hence, no future. Worst of all, they had no true God, eve n

though they had “many gods” and “many lords” (1 Cor. 8:5, NKJV).A l l

t h e y had was this world with its twisted philosophy, lurid pleasures, and

p a g an lifestyles. That was the plight of the Gentiles; in many ways this

reflects the plight of all who live in the darkness of sin and separation

from God.

Hostility between two groups is nothing new in history. While we

m ay be quick to condemn the hostility between Jews and

Gentiles as being unchristian, a re there areas in which we ex h i b i t

such hostility? What can you or your local church do to elimi-

nate hostility between differing groups in your commu n i t y ?

O N D AY

October 31

In Christ: N e a r ness

(Eph. 2:13)

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been

brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13, NKJV).

“But now.” Two little words introduce a theme that changed the

course of redemptive history. At one time the Gentiles were without

Christ, outside God’s commonwealth, without the covenant of prom-

ise, without hope and God. “But now” heaven has intervened in the

person of Christ to deal with the tragic and pathetic situation the

Gentiles were in.

choosing Israel, God “called them to preserve among men the knowl-

edge of His law, and of the symbols and prophecies that pointed to

the Saviour. He desired them to be as wells of salvation to the

world. . . . They were to reveal God to men.”—Ellen G. White, The

Desire of Ages, p. 27. How does Israel’s call relate to us, as

Adventists, today?

The words far and near describe the position of the Gentiles and the

Jews. The rabbis proudly claimed that no nation is as near to God as

Israel. That was true as part of God’s covenant with Israel; however,

“nearness” was not to be understood as exclusiveness but, rather, as a

communication privilege from which was to flow a witnessing duty to

those who were “far”; that is, to the Gentiles. Israel failed in this duty.

Isaiah predicted the day when the distance between “far” and “near”

will disappear and peace will come to both (Isa. 57:19).

To Paul, that Messianic day has come “by the blood of Christ” (Eph.

2:13). One privilege the Jews held dear was that of being near to God’s

temple and thus near to God’s mercy seat. The sacrificial blood played

a crucial role in the temple rituals in the forgiveness of sins and keep-

ing the Jews near God’s presence. The apostle moves from the blood

of the animal to the blood of Christ, through which “a new and living

way [has] opened for us” in order that we may “draw near to God with

a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:20, 22, NIV).

In Christ, distance disappears. There is nearness, heavenly citizen-

ship, promise, hope, and peace.

Ancient Israel believed it had been given special light and truth.

And it had! Yet, look what spiritual pride had done to the

nation. How do we as Adventists, who also believe we have been

given special light and truth (and we have!), protect ourselves

from this danger?

U E S D AY

N o vember 1

No More Wa l l s

(Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:14, 15)

The

blood of Jesus has eliminated the distance between those who

were afar and those who were near; that is, it eliminated the dis-

tance between Jew and Gentile (Eph. 2:13). How? Why? In what

ways does Christ’s shed blood show that we are all the same? See

Rom. 3:20-31, 5:12-18.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

From now on, Christ “Himself is our peace” (Eph. 2:14, NKJV).

Christ—and no one else! As our peace, what did Christ do?

First, He “has broken down the middle wall of separation” (vs. 14,

NKJV). The wall points to more than the temple wall that cut off the

court of the Gentiles from other areas to which only Jews had access.

It refers to religious, social, and political divisions that kept the two

groups apart. But in dying for the sins of all humanity, Christ has

brought peace in two dimensions: vertically, between God and human-

ity; horizontally, between person and person. The former proclaims

that God loves all alike; the latter demands that in Christ “there is nei-

ther Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male

nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28, NKJV).

Second, Christ “abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of

commandments contained in ordinances” (Eph. 2:15, NKJV). Though

there’s been a great debate over which law Paul is talking about here

(moral or ceremonial), Paul’s point is that through Christ anything that

had divided Jews and Gentiles has been abolished in Jesus. All are

now united in Him. Christ brought peace, and hence Paul says: “For

in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails any-

thing” (Gal. 6:15, NKJV).

Third, Christ created “in Himself one new man from the two” (Eph.

2:15, NKJV). That is the gospel mathematics: 1 + 1 = 1. The impossi-

bility becomes possible. No more Jew, no more Gentile, but one new

creation (2 Cor. 5:17, NKJV) in which people define their status not

in terms of caste, color, gender, nationality, or tribe but in terms of an

abiding relationship with the Christ of the Cross. “Jesus has suc-

ceeded in creating a new society, in fact a new humanity. . . . And this

new human unity in Christ is the pledge and foretaste of that final

unity under Christ’s headship.”—John R. W. Stott, The Message of

Ephesians (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1979), p. 93.

What prejudices might you be clinging to that go contrary to

what we have been promised in Christ regarding the “new

humanity”? How can you change?

E D N E S D A Y

N o vember 2

Reconciliation and A c c e s s

(2 Cor. 5:17-19, Eph.

2:16-18, Col. 1:20-22)

Read

the verses listed above for today. Summarize the basic message

found in them. How do you understand the reconciliation talked

about in these verses?

What great privileges we have in Christ! Aliens are now citizens.

The hopeless have received hope. Those without God have found

Him. The walls of division are gone. A new creation of unity has

emerged. Christ Himself has become our peace. In Ephesians 2:16-18

Paul expounds upon the reality and totality of what Christ has done.

First, peace is real because Christ has reconciled both Jews and

Gentiles “to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to

death the enmity” (vs. 16, NKJV). Christ has reconciled what was

irreconcilable—that is, the Jew and the Gentile. He did this, neither by

impressing upon the Jews the need to accommodate the Gentiles nor

by converting the Gentiles to the religious system of the Jews, which

was by far superior to anything the Gentiles had. Christ accomplished

the reconciliation of the Jew and the Gentile by dealing with a prob-

lem common to both—the problem of sin, which is the cause of all

enmity. The Cross reconciled both Jew and Gentile with God, and that

reconciliation became the basis of their unity in “one body,” which is

the church without walls.

Second, the totality of the peace is underscored by the apostle in

verse 18: “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the

Father” (NKJV). The entire Godhead—Father, Son, and the Holy

Spirit—is involved in this process of reconciliation and peace, both

vertically with God and horizontally between people. But that’s not

all. Both Jews and Gentiles have one common access to God through

one Spirit. There can be no more walls separating Jews and Gentiles

in either worship or fellowship.

The word access in Greek usage pictures someone being presented

to the king in his throne room. Through Christ, both Gentiles and

Jews—indeed, all believers—have common access to the very pres-

ence of God. Both the one who was an alien and far away and the one

who was near and a citizen are ushered into the throne room of God

by the same Spirit. Thus, peace and reconciliation in Christ is total and

real.

Though the context here is Jew and Gentile, it could really be

between any number of different groups, regardless of what

divides them. What barriers stand in the way of fully realizing

this ideal, and what can be done to remove them?

H U R S D AY

N o vember 3

“The Household of God”

(Eph. 2:19-22)

From tragedy to joy. From alienation to fellowship. From Gentiles

and Jews to one new humanity. The saving work of Christ has accom-

plished all this, and now the apostle introduces the believers to their

new status. Ephesians 2:19-22 lists three attributes of that standing.

First, citizenship. Outside of Christ, Gentiles were strangers and

foreigners and had no share in the “commonwealth of Israel” (Eph.

2:12). But in Christ they become “fellow citizens with the saints” (vs.

19, NKJV). The Christian is a citizen of the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God has two aspects. The kingdom of grace is in

operation now as people repent of their sin and accept the salvation

offered by Christ. The kingdom of glory will be established when

Christ comes the second time to gather His saints home. Without

being citizens of the first, we cannot be citizens of the second.

What

are the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship? If our citi-

zenship is in heaven, what does God expect of us here? Find verses

to defend your answer.

S e c o n d, membership in God’s household. A Christian is not only a citi-

zen but a member of God’s fa m i l y. The word f a m i l y evo k es a relationship

of closeness, equality, and dignity. Parents and children are not distant

and empty shadows but share a wa rm and intimate relationship in wh i c h

l ove reigns supreme. T h ey have an obl i g ation to one another, and

t ogether to the fa m i l y; likewise, in God’s fa m i l y, which is the church.

The church, says Paul, is “built on the foundation of the apostles

and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph.

2:20, NKJV). Surely, the man who affirmed that Christ is the only

foundation (1 Cor. 3:11) cannot reverse himself here in suggesting a

human foundation. Christ as the Cornerstone (cf. 1 Pet. 2:6) holds

together the various parts of the house, giving strength and unity to it.

the church is like a family, how should the members treat each other?

Find verses anywhere in Scripture to support your answer.

T h i r d, we are God’s temple. The union of all believers in God and the

unity between alienated groups serves the end purpose of being God’s

h o ly sanctuary, “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22, NKJV).

A church without walls becomes God’s holy temple (1 Cor. 3:16).

Write out a paragraph that envisions the ideal “church without

walls.” What would that be like? How closely does your local

church embody this great principle?

R I D AY

N o vember 4

Further Study:

Prejudice and disunity. “The same agencies that

barred men away from Christ eighteen hundred years ago are at work

today. The spirit which built up the partition wall between Jew and

Gentile is still active. Pride and prejudice have built strong walls of

separation between different classes of men. Christ and His mission

have been misrepresented, and multitudes feel that they are virtually

shut away from the ministry of the gospel. But let them not feel that

they are shut away from Christ. There are no barriers which man or

Satan can erect but that faith can penetrate. . . .

“Caste is hateful to God. He ignores everything of this character. In

His sight the souls of all men are of equal value. . . . Without distinc-

tion of age, or rank, or nationality, or religious privilege, all are invited

to come unto Him and live.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,

p. 403.

Discussion Questions:

●

“Therefore remember . . .” says Ephesians 2:11 (NKJV). Why

does Paul want us to remember our past condition? Cf. Deut.

15:15, 16:12, 32:7. Have those who are willing talk about what

Christ has spared them from and the great changes He has

wrought in their lives. Though it’s not good to dwell on the past

too much, why is it good to remember what we have come out of?

●

Mahatma Gandhi once observed that as long as Christians

practice caste, Hindus have no need to worry about getting con-

verted. How have Christians been guilty of practicing the caste

system? What does this say about racism’s effect on religion? In

what ways has racism impacted even our own church?

●

Peace with God and peace with one another form the basis of

Christian life and relationship. There’s only one problem:A great

deal of division and disunity exists within the Christian church

itself. How can you explain this discrepancy and what can be

done to help heal it?

●

There will, of course, in heaven be none of the kind of hateful

divisions we have here on earth. What does this tell us about how

important it is for us to work at getting rid of such divisions now?

tor

I N S I D E

Hungry for God’s Love

by J. H. Z

ACHARY

Dina Rosa grew up in a Jewish home. She studied Hebrew and attended

Sabbath services.When she married, she was determined to bring up her

children in the Jewish faith.

When the family moved to Florida, Dina took her children to the local

synagogue. But after the service, one of the synagogue leaders told Dina

that her children were too young to sit quietly, and their noise disturbed the

service. This troubled Dina, who wanted her children to love their faith.

Dina began worshiping with her children at home on Sabbath.

One day a friend showed Dina an invitation she had received to visit the

Adventist Messianic Center in town. Dina had never heard of Adventists

and was not sure what a Messianic Center was, but the center was close to

her home, so she decided to visit it. She and her children went, and they

were warmly welcomed.

“Everyone was so friendly,” Dina said. “I enjoyed the Hebrew songs,

and I felt the people were honestly glad I was there.”

Dina was impressed with the message that Rabbi Jeff Zaremsky pre-

sented from the Torah. The rabbi’s clear teaching awakened in Dina a

desire to learn more about the Scriptures, and soon Dina joined a Bible-

study class. “I was shown clearly from the Bible that Yeshua [Jesus] is the

Messiah that was promised by God in the Torah. It is right there in the

Scriptures,” she said. Dina was baptized into the Beth-El Shalom congre-

gation of Seventh-day Adventists.

“I thank God that I now know Yeshua as my Savior,” Dina says. “My

faith in God has helped me through some tough times.”

Dina leads the center’s Pathfinder club and is developing a Pathfinder

honor that focuses on Jewish heritage.

Today at least thirteen Adventist Jewish

congregations in North America reach out to

Jewish neighbors. Pray that God’s children

will hear His call to come to know the

Messiah through this ministry.

INA

OSA

(left). Until his death, J. H. Z

ACHARY

coordi -

nated outreach among the Jews and Muslims in the

North American Division.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o rg website:www. a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

* N o vember 5-11

God’s Mystery: The

U n iversal Fe l l ow s h i p

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This We e k ’s Study:

Matt. 10:5, John 4:9, A c t s

10:26-28, Ephesians 3.

Memory Text:

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abun-

dantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that

works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all

generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20, 21, NKJV).

ystery revealed and proclaimed. Under the inspiration of

the Holy Spirit, Paul has already written about the unique

unity Christ has established in the church. Writers before

him have written about unity, but usually it was about unity among a

single people, not among various classes, races, and nationalities, an

idea that was all but unheard of in the ancient world. But Paul has

written about a different kind of unity, one the world up to that point

had never seen, the unity that comes through Christ.

Yet, he doesn’t end there. He talks also about the church composed

of these Jews and Gentiles and about what the Lord will do through

this church. Most important, Paul points his readers to the love of God

who has accomplished so many things for us through the sacrifice of

Jesus.

The Week at a Glance:

Why did Paul deem it such a

“mystery” (Eph. 3:3) that Gentiles could also be partakers of

God’s promises in Christ? Why should this have not been such a

mystery to him? What is the church to reveal to heavenly powers?

What are the things God has done for us through Christ? What is

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 12.

U N D AY

N o vember 6

The Contents of the Mystery

(Eph. 3:1-6)

Look

up the following texts. How do they help us understand why for

Paul this unity was such a mystery? Deut. 14:2, Matt. 10:5, John

4:9, Acts 10:26-28, Gal. 2:11-14.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

“Mystery” in the New Testament usage is not some hidden secret

but a truth, heretofore unknown, that has been revealed by God in His

own time through the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of receiving such a rev-

elation (Eph. 3:3). As Barclay comments: “Into [Paul’s] life had come

the revelation of the great secret of God. That secret was that the love

and mercy and grace of God were meant not for the Jews alone but for

all mankind. . . . In the ancient world the barriers were complete. No

one had ever dreamed that God’s privileges were for all people.”

—William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians

(Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1976), pp. 122, 123.

Years ago American patriot Thomas Jefferson wrote the famous

words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are cre-

ated equal. . . .” However nice the sentiment, history shows that this

view was anything but “self-evident.” On the contrary, all through

history various groups believed themselves greater than, and superior

to, other nations and people. This idea was so ingrained that even the

ancient Israelites—who should have known better because of the rev-

elation given them by God—were contaminated with this sense of

self-superiority. Hence, someone as bright, as diligent, and as studious

as Paul needed a divine revelation to purge him of his native preju-

dices. For him, the idea that Jews and Gentiles would be one was so

incredible that he deemed it a “mystery,” a concept hard for most of

us today to grasp (Why should this be a “mystery”?), because, in our

day and age, these kinds of ethnic and national and cultural concepts

of superiority, though existing, are looked down upon. Even if some-

one were to think themselves better than others because of their

nationality or race or culture, it’s considered in very bad taste to

express such a view. Thus, only as we come to understand a bit of the

mind-set of Paul’s time can we grasp just how radical this idea of unity

between Jews and Gentiles was to him.

In what ways might you harbor a sense of cultural or ethnic

superiority? (Few cultures, if any, are immune to this problem.)

Why are such concepts so contrary to the gospel of Jesus

Christ?

O N D AY

N o vember 7

Evidences for the Mystery

Though

Paul talks about the gospel going to the Gentiles as a “mys-

t e r y,” evidences of this promise we re scattered in the Old

Testament. Look up the following texts. How do they express the

idea of the truth about God going to all nations?

Gen. 18:18

____________________________________________________________________

Isa. 42:6

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isa. 49:6

____________________________________________________________________

Isa. 56:3-8

____________________________________________________________________

Isa. 60:3

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jer. 16:19

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Zech. 8:23

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It’s a sad but powerful testimony to realize the hold that ethnic, cul-

tural, or religious prejudice can have on our minds that even with the

above texts, and more, Paul thought it a great “mystery” that the

Gentiles should also be brought into the truth about God. Again, it’s a

thought that most Christians today, the vast majority being Gentiles,

take for granted; it’s hard, from this perspective, to realize how radical

an idea this was for someone of the background and education of Paul.

But then, again, we shouldn’t be surp r i s e d, should we? The gospel

teaches us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44), to bless those who curse

us (vs. 44), to turn the other cheek (vs. 39), to not render evil for ev i l

(1 Pet. 3:9), and so forth. In other words, many of the claims of the

gospel are radical, going against our basic nature, cutting across some

of the most ingrained and accepted cultural, ethnic, and political preju-

dices we have. If our toes have n ’t been stepped on, in one way or

a n o t h e r, by Jesus, then we probably have n ’t met Him as we should.

When was the last time Jesus stepped on your toes; that is, when

was the last time you felt the claims of the gospel cut deep into

some of your prejudices or passions? How did you respond?

U E S D A Y

N o vember 8

T h rough the Churc h

(Eph. 3:9-13)

“To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in

heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wis-

dom of God” (Eph. 3:10).

Read

the text for today. What incredible message is Paul giving us in

this one verse?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Read

Ephesians 3:9-13. Notice what theme Paul links in with the

plan of salvation in verse 9. Why is this theme so important?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

We’re new creations in Christ (see also 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15, Eph.

4:24), and we are also part of the church that God Himself has cre-

ated. He made us, He remakes us, and He made the church of which

we, as new creatures, are a part. And it’s through this church, com-

posed of beings remade in His image, that His wisdom is revealed to

the universe (Eph. 3:10).

Indeed, this new community, the church God has created, becomes

a cosmic exhibit of His power, His grace, and His “wisdom,” which

defeated the divisive forces of Satan, “according to the eternal pur-

pose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus” (vs. 11, NKJV). If it is

through creation that God reveals His power to us, it is through new

creation that God reveals His wisdom and justice to “principalities

and powers” (vs. 10), including fallen and unfallen angels.

“Not to this world only but to the universe are we to make manifest

the principles of His kingdom.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the

Church, vol. 6, p. 13.

In this one text, Ephesians 3:10, we are given another look at the wh o l e

issue of the great controversy; we are shown the interest of other cosmic

intelligences in the fate of our world here. W h a t ’s even more astounding

is that according to this text, it’s God’s purpose that through the church

His “wisdom” will be made manifest to these other intelligences.

Imagine you were part of these “principalities and powers”

from somewhere in the cosmos who were watching the church.

Write a diary entry about what you saw there. Compare notes

in class this Sabbath.

E D N E S D A Y

N o vember 9

“ W h e re f o re ”

Notice the wonderful promise in Ephesians 3:12; according to Paul,

through Jesus we have “access”; that is, access to God Himself. This

is what Jesus was talking about in John 10:9 when He said that “I am

the door.” Adam had free access to God at first but, having lost it, he

hid himself among the trees of the Garden because he could no longer

face God with frankness and a clear conscience. The effect of redemp-

tion is to restore to humanity a new and bold access to God without

fear or restriction and without the need of any intermediaries such as

priests or saints or ritual. God is immediately accessible to the trust-

ing soul, through the merits of Christ.

Paul

then starts verse 13 with the word wherefore, which, in the

Greek, also means “on account of.” In other words, he is saying

that “on account of ” something, he doesn’t want the Ephesians to

worry about him. What is that wherefore referring to?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Because the Gentiles now belong to the body of Christ, because the

eternal purpose is being fulfilled through Jesus, because God’s wis-

dom is being revealed to the universe, and because we have free access

to God, Paul asks his readers not to be too distressed over his suffer-

ings, which have come to him on account of his bringing them the

gospel.

In other words, Paul is saying “Don’t focus on me or my trials; focus

on the great news of what God has done for the world through Jesus

Christ. The good news far overshadows anything I might be going

through.”

Struggling? Worried? Fearful about the future? Write out a

prayer of thanksgiving to God for the things as revealed to us in

this Epistle so far, things Christ has done. Let the reality of the

promises we have been reading about overshadow all else in

your life. Claim these promises as your own.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

H U R S D AY

N o vember 10

The Know l e d ge of His Love

(Eph. 3:14-21)

Read

Paul’s prayer (Eph. 3:14-21) over and over. Then paraphrase

the essence of His petition. What is he praying for, and why do you

think he would offer such a prayer?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Paul prays that Christ would dwell in their hearts. The Greek word

used for “dwell” is katoikem, which indicates permanent residence.

Christ is not a guest but a perpetual part of our lives.

Paul prays for the indwelling Christ so the strengthened inner being

“may be able to comprehend” (that is, empowered and enlightened to

grasp) the width, length, depth, and height of Christ’s love (vss. 18,

19). Paul is praying to comprehend the incomprehensible, but he

knows that the assurance of the believer rests only in such uninter-

rupted meditation of God’s love. The believers must know with what

great love they have been blessed. While Christ’s love cannot be fitted

into any geometrical measure, it is wide enough to circle the globe

and reach every sinner. It is high enough to reach the very throne

room of God. It is deep enough to plumb Satan’s deepest gutter and

pull out from that mess any sinner who calls upon Christ for help and

bring him or her to stand under God’s sunshine. It is long enough to

stretch from “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4) to end-

less ages of eternity, where that love will be the subject of saints’

study. It is a love that “passes all knowledge” and fills all the believ-

ers “with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19, NKJV).

“Fullness of God” is an expression lavish in assurance and is com-

mon to the books of Ephesians and Colossians. It signifies that God

is beyond limitation. He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above

all that we ask or think” (vs. 20, NKJV). Rich in mercy, unfathomable

in love, limitless in grace, and abundant in power, God has committed

the entire resources of heaven to grant “above all that we ask or think”

in order that His glory may be manifest “in the church . . . to all gen-

erations” (vss. 20, 21, NKJV).

How certain are you of the reality of God’s love? If someone

were to ask “Why do you believe that your God is so loving?”

what would you answer? How convincing a case could you

make?

R I D AY

N o vember 11

Further Study:

Access to God. “We have access to God through

the merits of the name of Christ, and God invites us to bring to Him

our trials and temptations; for He understands them all. He would not

have us pour out our woes to human ears. Through the blood of Christ

we may come to the throne of grace, and find grace to help in time of

need. . . . As an earthly parent encourages his child to come to him at

all times, so the Lord encourages us to lay before Him our wants and

perplexities, our gratitude and love. Every promise is sure. Jesus is our

Surety and Mediator, and has placed at our command every resource,

that we may have a perfect character. The blood of Christ in ever-

abiding efficacy is our only hope; for through His merits alone we

have pardon and peace.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible

Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1116.

Discussion Questions:

●

“We have not merely been saved that we might escape hell; we

have been saved in order that God may present a people which

will astonish the whole world,” said a great preacher. How well do

you think the church has succeeded in doing what this preacher

has said?

●

Compare your “alien diaries” (see Tuesday’s study).

●

Dwell on Ephesians 3:10 as a class. Discuss the implications of

that text in light of the great controversy. How do the opening two

chapters of Job parallel with what that verse is saying?

●

Let individual members of the class give a personal testimony

regarding their own experience on knowing God’s love. What can

you learn from the different testimonies?

●

If someone who had been attending your class is no longer

coming to church, what can you do, as a class, to reveal to that

person some of the love Paul so eloquently talks about in this

chapter?

tor

I N S I D E

The Carpenter Who Died

for Us

by D

OROTHY

ATON

ATTS

Four carpenters sat on the floor of their small shop in a village in east-

ern India. As they planed and sanded the wood and fit the pieces together

to make beds, tables, and stools, they talked about the man who had come

to visit them. He was educated yet he took time to talk with common peo-

ple and become their friend. The carpenters liked Mathew Reddy, but he

was a Christian. They had heard bad things about Christians, but this man

seemed so different.

One day when Reddy visited the carpenters’ shop, he asked them, “Did

you know that the God I worship lived on this earth and worked as a car-

penter?”

The men laid down their tools and stared at Reddy. “A God who was a

carpenter?” they asked, astonished. “Tell us more about Him.”

“Jesus, the Son of God, came to live on this earth to show us what God

is like,” Reddy said. “He chose to be born as a human, to live in the home

of a lowly carpenter, and to work with His hands, just like you do.”

“We want to hear more about this carpenter God,” the men said. Reddy

came often to study the Bible with the carpenters. He explained why Jesus

came to earth, how He ministered to others, and how He died to save them

from their sins. Eventually the carpenters accepted Jesus as their Lord and

invited Reddy to study the Bible with their families. In time 15 members

of their families also accepted Jesus as their Lord.

When news of the men’s conversions spread through the village, trouble

began. People stopped buying furniture from the men; they refused to

allow their wives draw water from the village well; shopkeepers refused to

sell them rice. Still the carpenters worshiped Jesus. Then some villagers

sent their cattle to trample the families’ vegetable gardens, destroying their

meager crops.

When Adventist leaders learned of the persecution, they provided relief

supplies to help keep the families alive and encouraged the men to take

their case to the district counselor. The counselor defended the carpenters’

right to worship God as they chose and sent police to bring order to the

village and assure that the new Christians could worship freely.

Problems still arise from time to time, but the carpenters remain stead-

fast. “People can do anything they like to us,” they insist, “but we will be

faithful to the Carpenter who died for us.”

OROTHY

ATON

ATTS

is associate secretary of the Southern Asia Division.

P rod uced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

* N o vember 12-18

Unity Amid

Diversity

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Matt. 28:18-20, Rom.

12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:28-31, Eph. 4:1-16.

Memory Text:

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you

were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one

baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through

all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6, NKJV).

e have reached the midpoint of the Epistle. The first three

chapters set forth the theology of Christian unity, a unity

that overrides all the divisive factors in humankind. The last

three chapters deal with the practical implications of that unity in the

life of a Christian. So, Paul moves from theology to practice, from

exposition to exhortation, from what God has done to what we should

do in response to what God has done for us. Our theology must inform

our morality, and our morality must reflect our theology.

Thus, Paul now turns his attention to the kind of life believers

should live in accordance with the great theological insight of the

mystery of Christ. The Jew/Gentile unity is no myth but a reality that

demands a “walk worthy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV).

The Week at a Glance:

Why does Paul tell us to “walk

worthy” of our calling? What does that mean? What kind of

diversity will exist amid the unity that should be the hallmark of

God’s church? What are the gifts given to individuals in the

church? How does Paul describe growth in Christ?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 19.

U N D AY

N o vember 13

Walking Wo r t h y

(Eph. 4:1-3)

the first three chapters, Paul talked so much about what God has

done in Christ for us. Now, as a result, he tells us to “walk worthy”

of our vocation, and he tells us how we should do that. What are

the five graces foundational to Christian character, and what is

your understanding of what each one means? (Eph. 4:2, 3). Com-

pare what you wrote to what the lesson below says.

●___________________________________________________________

●_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lowliness or humility. Romans and Greeks considered humility as

a sign of weakness, but to the Christian, it is a source of strength. It is

the opposite of pride. Pride is at the center of disunity (e.g., Lucifer in

heaven), whereas humility is at the core of reconciliation as in the

Incarnation and the Cross (Phil. 2:2-8).

Gentleness or meekness is essential to the unity of the church. Being

the denial of self-assertion, meekness does not react even in the face of

p r ovocation. In the end the meek will inherit the eart h (Matt. 5:5).

Patience or longsuffering is a characteristic of God Himself. He is

“longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that

all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NKJV). Patience means

endurance in the face of affliction, refusal to avenge wrongs, and not

giving up hope for repairing ruptured relationships.

“Bearing with one another” (Eph. 4:2, NKJV) means more than

mutual tolerance. It involves understanding the other person and a

willingness to forgive and accept one another.

All these graces, of course, are rooted in love, and it is this active

practice of love that preserves relationships and promotes peace and

unity in the Christian community and beyond.

Humility, gentleness, longsuffering, bearing with one another,

and love—how well did you manifest any of these traits in the

past week? If there were something you could do over again,

what would it be? More important, how can you avoid making

the same mistake again?

O N D A Y

N o vember 14

U n i t y : W hy Oneness?

(Eph. 4:4-6).

Read

Ephesians 4:4-6. What’s the one crucial theme in these three

verses, a theme we’ve already seen in this Epistle so far?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Ephesians 4:4-6 is one of the most majestic passages in the Bible.

The structure of its construction, the grandeur of its prose, and the

grounding of unity in the fullness of the Godhead are incredible.

Should anyone dare ask the question “Why should Christians be one?”

the answer comes in that unassailable argument: Because everything

about Christian faith and life is one.

God has mandated the unity of the Christian body. One God through

one Christ has redeemed us from sin, given to us one faith, regener-

ated us through one Spirit, made us members of one body through one

baptism, and given to us one eternal hope.

As we study this sevenfold formula of oneness, another significant

factor needs to be noted. The entire Godhead is involved in the one-

ness of the church. That is in keeping with the spirit of the Epistle,

which often emphasizes the role of the Trinity in redemptive history.

God the Father—“who is above all, and through all, and in you all”

(Eph. 4:6, NKJV). He is all in all.

God the Son—“the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2,

NIV), “the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27), the foundation of the church,

His body.

God the Holy Spirit—the agency of our new - b i r th experience, wh i c h

leads us to baptism (1 Cor. 12:13).

“In the fourth chapter of Ephesians the plan of God is so plainly

and simply revealed that all His children may lay hold upon the truth.

Here the means which He has appointed to keep unity in His church,

that its members may reveal to the world a healthy religious experi-

ence, is plainly declared.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA

Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1117.

“Satan separates. God unites. Love binds us together.” So said

the famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody. No one would like to be

an agent of Satan, and all of us would like to be instruments of

God’s love. Why are the five graces talked about in yesterday’s

lesson so crucial in order for us to experience this unity that is

discussed in today’s lesson?

U E S D A Y

N o vember 15

U n i t y : D i ve rsity of Gifts

(1 Cor. 12:28-31, Eph.

4:7-11)

Ephesians 4:6 speaks of God as the “Father of all, who is above all,

and through all, and in you all” (NKJV). The emphasis that we all have

the same father stresses the unity of the church. Now in verse 7, Paul

says that “to each one of us grace was given according to the measure

of Christ’s gift” (NKJV). All have not received the same gift, nor in the

same measure (vs. 11). Thus, Paul turns from “all of us” (vs. 6) to

“each one of us” (vs. 7)—and so from unity to diversity in the church.

Diversity does not mean division; it means there are different gifts,

and these gifts should be used for the unity of the church. After all, the

same Spirit that distributes the gifts allows us to work together for the

strengthening and building of God’s church.

Read

Ephesians 4:7-11. What is Paul telling us here? How do these

words help us understand the gifts He has given us?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

“When He ascended on high” (vs. 8, NKJV), He gave gifts to the

believers; that is, when He ascended to heaven, He poured out the

Spirit on the earth. But what are we to understand by verse 9, where

Paul states: “He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth”

(NKJV)? The contrast between “ascended” and “descended” is not

spatial but theological. His ascent and exaltation to the presence of

God is contrasted with His descent to, and deepest humiliation of, the

Cross (Phil. 2:5-11). The victory in the descent and the exaltation in

the ascent are celebrated by the giving of the gifts to the church,

whose members Christ has plucked from the prince of darkness. By

His victory over Satan and His ascent to “far above all the heavens”

(Eph. 4:10, NKJV), Christ fills all things. He is the Lord of the uni-

verse and yet linked closely with the church on earth and fills her with

His gifts.

Name the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11. Compare these with

gifts mentioned in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28-31.

What does Paul say about the nature and use of gifts? At the

same time, ask yourself, “What is my gift? How have I used it

recently? What practical ways can I enhance my gift in order to

make it more effective in the Lord’s work?”

E D N E S D AY

N o vember 16

U n i t y : Equipped for the Ministry

(Eph.

4:12, 13)

have just been studying the gifts the Lord has given His church.

Paul then lists, in Ephesians 4:12, two reasons for those gifts.What

are they? How do they relate to each other?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

The first deals with “the equipping of the saints for the work of min-

istry” (NKJV). The Greek for “equipping” comes from a word that

means “to put right,” such as mending a torn net (Matt. 4:21) or set-

ting a broken bone. Thus, “equipping of the saints” refers to prepar-

ing, training, and making them ready for the service to which they are

called.

This raises the question, Who are the ministers of the church?

According to the New Testament, all Christians are ministers, com-

missioned by the Lord Himself to go, make disciples of all nations,

baptize, and teach (Matt. 28:18-20). The work of the ministry is not

committed to a privileged few (clergy) but to all who profess the name

of Christ. The Christian ministry is a people-to-people, one-to-one,

ministry. No church member can claim exemption from the ministry,

and no clergy person can claim exclusive privilege to the ministry.

The second reason for the giving of the gifts is “for the edifying of

the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, NKJV). W h a t e ver gifts we have — t e a c h -

ing, preaching, evangelism, healing, counseling, visiting, comfort i n g ,

helping—are not to be hoarded for personal use. T h e y are for the

c o r porate good and gr owth of the church, and the hoarders will have

their gifts taken from them (Matt. 25:24-30). The church can gr ow only

when its members love and care for one another and together reach out

to the surrounding community with the grace and love of Christ.

M i n i s t ry of all members will hasten the day when the entire globe will

be encircled by the saving message of Christ. In this way the church

will exercise “the unity of the faith” and will receive the “fullness of

Christ” (Eph. 4:13, NKJV). A person filled with Christ cannot remain

silent when someone out there is without Christ. That is the motive of

m i n i s t r y.

Imagine what your local church would be like if everyone, using

his or her gifts, were involved in the work of ministry. What can

you do to help move your church toward this gospel ideal?

H U R S D AY

N o vember 17

U n i t y : G rowing Up in Christ

(Eph. 4:14-16)

Ephesians 4:12, 13 closes with the note that spiritual gifts are given

not only to equip the saints for the ministry of the church but also to

lead them to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”

(NKJV). Coming to Christ, experiencing the unity that transcends all

divisions and being equipped for the ministry are not enough.

Christians must grow in Christ. Verses 14-16 outline elements of such

growth. (Verses 17-32, our study next week, continue to define this

growth to emphasize living as the new person in full maturity.)

Ephesians

4:14 says we should “be no more children.” How do we

understand this with Christ’s words in Matthew 18:3?

____________________________________________________________________

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

God wants us to be childlike but not childish. He expects us to “put

away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) and assert the maturity of adult-

hood with which one can make a distinction between the spiritual and

the worldly and take solid food instead of milk (1 Cor. 3:2).

What

else is Paul warning us about in verse 14? How well have you

fared in this area?

Firmness involves stability in what we believe, in how we sift truth

from error, and in not being deceived by those who claim to have the

truth. It requires strong grounding in God’s Word so that when the

“trickery,” “craftiness,” and “plotting” (Eph. 4:14, NKJV) confront us,

we may stand firm on God’s testimony (Isa. 8:20).

Paul also talks about “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

Literally, it is doing the truth. And doing it in love. The church must

distinguish between the gospel and heresy, and even here truth must

put on love. “Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love

becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth.”—John R. W. Stott, The

Message of Ephesians, p. 172.

Finally, the ultimate sign of growth is unreserved commitment and

obedience to Christ. We are the body, and every part and function of

the body must be linked to, and integrated in, Christ.

Is “truth” still “truth” even if spoken in harshness? Defend

your answer.

R I D AY

N o vember 18

Further Study:

Spiritual gifts. “It is the absence of the Spirit that

makes the gospel ministry so powerless. Learning, talents, eloquence,

every natural or acquired endowment, may be possessed; but without

the presence of the Spirit of God, no heart will be touched, no sinner

be won to Christ. On the other hand, if they are connected with Christ,

if the gifts of the Spirit are theirs, the poorest and most ignorant of His

disciples will have a power that will tell upon hearts. God makes them

the channel for the outworking of the highest influence in the uni-

verse.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 328.

Christian growth. “The germination of the seed represents the

beginning of spiritual life, and the development of the plant is a beau-

tiful figure of Christian growth. As in nature, so in grace; there can be

no life without growth. The plant must either grow or die. As its

growth is silent and imperceptible, but continuous, so is the develop-

ment of the Christian life. At every stage of development our life may

be perfect; yet if God’s purpose for us is fulfilled, there will be con-

tinual advancement. . . . We shall become strong to bear responsibil-

ity, and our maturity will be in proportion to our privileges.”—Pages

65, 66.

Discussion Questions:

●

Discuss in class the question asked at the end of Thursday’s

lesson.

●

Look at the Ellen White quote above where she says that at

every stage of development we may be “perfect.” What does that

mean?

●

Read again Ephesians 4:14. How important is doctrinal purity

to Paul? As a class, talk about how much importance should be

placed on doctrine. In what ways might we be guilty of over-

emphasizing or underemphasizing doctrine?

●

Suppose someone were to say to you, “How do I discover what

my spiritual gift is?” How would you answer them? In general,

how are we able to discover what our gifts are?

tor

I N S I D E

“Go In and Listen!”

by M

ARK

OLOMON

“Go in! Go in and listen!” a voice urged young Nolty Swartbooi. Who’s

talking to me? he wondered as he walked past the Adventist church on his

way to town in Upington, South Africa.

Nolty’s family were Christians. Once in their family devotions they

encountered the Sabbath commandment, but their pastor told them that the

Sabbath was no longer binding on Christians.

Then Nolty found a Voice of Prophecy correspondence course enroll-

ment card and signed up for the lessons. Again he encountered the

Sabbath question; again his pastor dismissed it.

As Nolty walked past the church, the congregation’s enthusiastic

singing caught his attention. Nolty entered the little Adventist church and

was greeted warmly. The church, he learned, was holding evangelistic

meetings.

As he listened to the speaker, the message sounded familiar. This is what

I read in the Bible lessons! he thought. Nolty returned every evening, and

there he found answers to the questions that troubled him. Before the evan-

gelistic meetings ended, Nolty was convinced that he had found God’s true

church, and he must be a part of it.

But when Nolty told his father about his discovery, his father became

angry. “That church is a sect!” his father roared. “Don’t go there again!”

But Nolty was convinced that God had spoken to him. On Sabbath, Nolty

asked the members to pray for him. He was willing to give up everything

to worship God on His holy day. When he arrived home that afternoon, his

father again warned him that if he continued disobeying him, he would

have to leave home.

Nolty went to his room and prayed for wisdom and for strength to do

what God commanded. Then he went to talk to his father. “Father,” he said,

“you taught me to follow God’s commandments, and I have.” Then Nolty

opened his Bible and read verse after verse relating to the Sabbath. His

father listened in shocked silence to his son’s careful explanation. When

Nolty finished the Bible study, he told his father, “I want do to what the

Bible tells me. What do you think?” His father could not object; a month

later Nolty was baptized.

Life is not easy in the region of South Africa where Nolty lives. Jobs are

few, and hope is hard to come by. Alcoholism, HIV, and AIDS are rampant.

Nolty would like to continue his education and become a pastor so he can

work with youth, showing them that the hope they need is found only in

Jesus.

MARK SOLOMON is a pastor in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

P rod uced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o rg

E S S O N

* N o vember 19-25

Living

the

New Life

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Rom. 1:26-32; 3:10-18;

12:2; 1 Cor. 2:9-16; Eph. 4:17-32; Phil. 4:8, 9.

Memory Text:

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, for-

giving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians

4:32, NKJV).

aul’s presentation on the practical implications of Christian

unity began with a call to Christians, both Jew and Gentile, that

they “walk worthy of the calling with which [they] were called”

(Eph. 4:1, NKJV). This walk makes several demands of us. The first

is preservation of the unity of Christ’s body in the midst of diversity

(vss. 1-12). The second, our study this week, deals with walking in a

new way, which is crucial for maintaining the unity Paul talks about.

This new way is neither a modification nor an improvement of the

old. It is a radical transformation that rejects old values and adopts a

totally new lifestyle—in thought, character, values, relationships, and

motives. It is passing from death to life. It is a change of owners: from

Satan to Christ.

The Week at a Glance:

What kind of picture of human-

ity does Paul depict? How is the life of a Christian to be changed

after accepting Christ? How is the new life to be manifested

among Christians? How is this new life related to the unity of the

church as a whole? What role does the Holy Spirit play in our new

life? How are we to be “imitators” (Eph. 5:1, NKJV) of God?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 26.

U N D A Y

N o vember 20

Put Away the Old

(Eph. 4:17-22)

A life “worthy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV) is not only a life of

unity and growth as we saw last week but also a new life. This new life

is a series of negatives and positives. The first negative is “put off . . .

the old man” (vs. 22). The Christian life begins with a clean and clear

break from the past, and Paul appeals to the Ephesians to “no longer

walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk” (vs. 17, NKJV). To the Romans

Paul used a more serious language and called upon them to crucify the

old man “that the body of sin might be done away with” (Rom. 6:6,

NKJV).

List

some of the characteristics of the old man as mentioned in Ephe-

sians 4:17-24. Compare with Romans 3:10-18. What kind of pic-

ture does he depict of humanity in general? What, if anything, has

changed in the more than nineteen centuries since Paul wrote?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Notice, in his depiction of the Ephesians, that Paul uses words such

as “darkness,” “ignorance,” and “blindness” that led them into moral

decadence. Their mind, because of sin, could not comprehend spiritual

truth. As a result, their lives were wasted in seeking God either in

themselves or in worthless idols or in vain philosophy. They indulged

in wishful teachings and lived in spiritual darkness (Eph. 4:18; see

also Rom. 1:19-21). Their moral sensitivity was so compromised that

they could make no distinction between good and evil. The pleasures

of the body, particularly immoral and deviant behavior, became their

favorite pastime. T h e y lived in “lew d n e s s ,” “uncleanness,” and

“greediness” (Eph. 4:19, NKJV; see also Rom. 1:26-32).

Such was their life—the life of the old man—before the Gentiles

came to Christ. Paul, therefore, appeals to the believers: “Don’t ever

go back to the old.”

Look at verse 19. What is Paul saying there? What does it mean

to be “past feeling”? How does one become “past feeling”? In

what ways have you experienced this negative principle in your

own life? Why is this a danger to anyone, even a professed

Christian? What is the only protection against this problem?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

O N D AY

N o vember 21

“Put On the New ”

(Rom. 12:1, 2; Eph. 4:20-24)

Having

told the believers to “put off . . . the old man” (Eph. 4:22),

what counsel does Paul give? Eph. 4:22-24.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

In accepting Christ, the believers “put off ” the old lifestyle of the

Gentiles. But putting off is not enough. Christianity is not a religion

of negatives. It expects the believer to rise to a higher ground of moral

and spiritual living. So Paul urges: “Be renewed in the spirit of your

mind and . . . put on the new man” (Eph. 4:23, 24, NKJV).

If the life of the old man were characterized by a futile mind, the life

of the new man is distinguished by a renewed mind. “Do not be con-

formed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your

mind” (Rom. 12:2, NKJV).

How

are believers to be renewed in the mind? Rom. 12:2; 1 Cor. 2:9-

16; Phil. 4:8, 9.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

After describing the vain, dark, and sinful life of the Gentiles ( E p h .

4 : 1 7 - 2 0 ) , Paul asserts that they were taught to give up such a life wh e n

t h e y came to Christ. By using three wo r d s — l e a rn e d, heard, taught—Pa u l

reminds the believers they already well know the effect of salvation and

n e w birth on their lifestyle. This truth did not come to them from any

human source but from Jesus Himself (Eph. 4:21). Pa u l ’s use of the

name Jesus is not accidental. He wants the believers to know that the his-

toric Jesus—the incarnate, the cru c i f i e d, the risen, and the ascended

One—is Himself the Truth, Himself the Revealer of truth ( J ohn 14:6).

“Those who receive the Saviour become sons of God. . . . Their minds

are changed. . . . From cherishing supreme love for self, they come to

cherish supreme love for God and for Christ.”—Ellen G. W h i t e

Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1117.

In your experience in becoming a Christian, did you find that

suddenly your thoughts and heart and motives and actions

became pure? If not, what practical, day-by-day things can you

do that will help you reach this desired goal? At the same time,

what are you doing (if anything) that can hinder this work of

purification?

U E S D A Y

N o vember 22

L ive the New Life

(Eph. 4:25-29)

The apostle is no lofty theoretician. At one moment he can lift us to

majestic heights of theology; at another he can bring us down to the

realities of our neighborhood. So, he outlines four imperatives of the

n ew life. T h e y are so simple yet so vital to maintain good relationships.

1. Put away lying; speak the truth (Eph. 4:25). Falsehood and

hypocrisy hurt relationships and destroy trust. Truth, on the other

hand, builds trust and confidence, strengthens relationships, and pre-

serves unity.

what ways has lying hurt your relationships with others?

2 . “ ‘Be angry and do not sin’ ” (vs. 26, NKJV). As humans, we

i n ev i t a b ly face situations that anger us, and maybe even justly so. In any

case, in times of anger, three cautions need to be heeded: Do not sin;

that is, do not let it lead to resentment or transgression of the law. Do

not let the sun go down without correcting the situation. Do not give the

d evil an opportunity to use anger to destroy unity and relationship.

How

has the devil used anger against you and your relationships?

3. Do not steal, but work (vs. 28). Thieving takes many forms—

from downright stealing to withholding what rightfully belongs to

another to destroying another’s name or character. A Christian lives on

a high moral plane. Honest work, unselfish life, generosity, and pre-

serving the other are marks of the new life in Christ.

Using

the definition listed above, how has “thieving” impacted you

or someone you know in a negative way?

4. Guard your tongue, be edifying in speech (vs. 29). Words are

powerful tools. Used well, they can be a great blessing. But Paul

warns against “corrupt” talk. The Greek word for “corrupt” also

means “rotten.” Rottenness, vulgarity, swearing, and gossip have no

place in our speech. A Christian’s speech should edify and build.

When was the last time you were hurt by damaging words?

Also, look at your answers for the day’s questions. What do they

tell you about how important living as the “new man” (vs. 24) is

for the unity Paul talks about?

E D N E S D AY

N o vember 23

“ G r i e ve Not the Holy Spirit”

(Eph. 4:30)

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were

sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30, NKJV).

The church at Ephesus had its beginnings when the apostle laid

hands on the believers to receive the Holy Spirit (see Acts 19:1-7). No

wonder Paul speaks so much about the Holy Spirit in Ephesians—at

least twelve times.

Look

up the texts below and write down what Paul says about the

Spirit:

Eph. 2:18

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Eph. 3:16

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Eph. 5:9

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Eph. 6:17

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Elsewhere Paul states that the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6), sonship

(Rom. 8:16), understanding (1 Cor. 2:10-16), fruits (Gal. 5:22), hope

for the future (Gal. 5:5), spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11), sanctification

(Rom. 15:16), indwelling power (Rom. 8:11), etc.

Paul clearly placed great importance on the role of the Holy Spirit in

the life of the believer and the congr e gation. Hence his charge: “Do not

gr i eve the Holy Spirit.” The statement at once reveals that the Spirit is

not simply divine power but an active Person in the Godhead, sensitive

to relationships. To gr i eve the Holy Spirit is equivalent to gr i eving the

Father and the Son. All we have to do is read the Bible, and we can see

h ow much God cares about our actions and how our sin and disobedi-

ence bring pain to Him. There are moral and spiritual responsibilities

on all who are brought into God’s fa m i ly by the Spirit; and when we

violate those responsibilities, we gr i eve Him. It’s hard for us to under-

stand that God could actually be pained by what we do, but that’s wh a t

our Bible tells us, and cert a i n ly the life of Jesus shows us the intimate

care God has for His creatures. Thus, if He loves us and cares for us,

i t ’s not surprising that He could be pained by what we do.

What things might you have done in the past 24 hours that

would have grieved the Holy Spirit? We re these actions

inevitable? If not, why did you do them?

H U R S D AY

N o vember 24

“Be Imitators of God”

(Eph. 4:31–5:1, NKJV)

Paul’s command to those who are saved and now living as one

united body of Jews and Gentiles is to walk in the new life. This new

life involves many details: putting off, putting on, persevering, and

not grieving the Spirit. In today’s lesson, Paul presents a one-phrase

summary of the new way: “Be imitators of God” (Eph. 5:1, NIV).

How

can we, as fallen human beings, be “imitators of God”? What

does Paul mean here?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

After telling us to be imitators of God, Paul then makes the charge

personal and intimate: “as dear children” (vs. 1, NKJV). When a par-

ent and child have a close and intimate relationship, spending time

with each other and sharing life activities, often the child tends to be

like the parent. Thus, the more time we spend with God in prayer,

meditation, and study, the more like Him we can become.

“Just as children imitate their parents, so we should imitate Christ.

His great love for us led him to sacrifice himself so that we might live.

Our love for others should be of the same kind—a love that goes

beyond affection to self-sacrificing service.”—Life Application Bible,

on Ephesians 5:1, 2.

Ephesians 4:32 Paul gives three qualities that should mark our lives.

What are they, and how is each one, in its own way, a reflection of

God? As you write down your answer, ask yourself what you could

do to better manifest these qualities in your own life.

●_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It was Christmas Eve. A child in tattered clothes was looking

through the glittering windows of a store, her eyes focused on a

pretty doll, but she had no way of getting it. Just then a man

removed that doll. The little girl’s face fell but soon lighted up

when the man came out of the store and gave the doll to her. She

looked up and asked, “Are you God?” Maybe no one has ever

said something quite like that to you, but in what ways have you

reflected the character of God to someone recently?

R I D AY

N o vember 25

Further Study:

Christ’s transforming work. “Jesus Himself, in His

infinite mercy, is working on human hearts, effecting spiritual trans-

formations so amazing that angels look on with astonishment and joy.

The same unselfish love that characterizes the Master is seen in the

character and life of His true followers. Christ expects that men will

become partakers of His divine nature while in this world, thus not

only reflecting His glory to the praise of God, but illumining the dark-

ness of the world with the radiance of heaven.”—Ellen G. White,

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 731.

Unrenewed members. “The accession of members who have not

been renewed in heart and reformed in life is a source of weakness to

the church. This fact is often ignored. Some ministers and churches

are so desirous of securing an increase of numbers that they do not

bear faithful testimony against unchristian habits and practices.”

—Page 172.

Discussion Questions:

●

There are those who believe that the Christian concept of basic

human sinfulness is wrong, even damaging. How would you

respond to someone who holds such views?

●

Have someone in class read aloud the second Ellen G. White

quote listed above and open a discussion on what she is saying.

How do we strike the right balance here; that is, having a church

in which sinners are welcomed and brought to the Cross while, at

the same time, upholding the high standards of conduct the

Christian life requires?

●

In class, ask those who are willing to talk about someone who

truly was an “imitator of God.” Who was that person, what did

he or she do, and what impact did that person have on your life?

●

Go around the class and have each person answer this ques-

tion: “Name one great change Christ has brought into your life.”

Discuss the various answers.

tor

I N S I D E

The Missing Sign

by E

LIAS

AIMBUSE

I am a police officer in Papua New Guinea. A few years ago I was trans-

ferred to a town in the southern highlands of Papua New Guinea to com-

mand a new unit. I went to look over the territory where I would work. It

was lovely, but something was missing: I could not find an Adventist

church. I searched the city and the countryside, but I did not see the famil-

iar three angels logo that identifies the Adventist church. I wondered if I

should accept the assignment to move here if there was no church for my

family to attend.

When I told my family that I could not find a church, we decided to pray

about it for a week. God showed us that He wanted us to move to the new

territory. We packed our things and made the ten-hour trip to our new

home. The family enjoyed the beauty of the area and quickly settled into

our new home. With no church nearby, we worshiped on our veranda.

One day a man came to repair a leak in our roof. When he finished, he

asked my wife, “Are you Adventist?” Surprised, she told him yes, we are

Adventists. The man smiled broadly. “I am an Adventist too. But we do

not have a church in town, so I worship at home.” Later when we talked,

the man told me about a teacher at a nearby school who also was

Adventist. We met together and decided to hold our worships in a class-

room at the school. Later we learned about a former police officer who

lived not far who also was a believer, and we invited him to join our group.

One day I asked the police officer if we could get some land on which

to build a church.

“I have a piece of land!” he said. “I will give it to the church if you build

a chapel on it!” We went to see the land, which was located on the main

road. It was perfect! We cut down the undergrowth to mark the boundary

of the land for a church, then we registered the land and our congregation

with the local mission.

Before we began to build the chapel, I erected a sign with the familiar

three angels logo on it. I wanted everyone to know that this land and the

church that would one day stand there belonged to the Seventh-day

Adventists.

We now have a small chapel on the land, and the congregation is grow-

ing nicely as word spreads that Adventists have entered the town. I am glad

that God used simple people—a police officer, a repairman, and a

teacher—to form a new congregation in a remote area of Papua New

Guinea. He can use you, too, wherever you live.

LIAS

AIMBUSE

is a sergeant in the Papua New Guinea police force.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

* N o vember 26–December 2

The Christian

Walk

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This We e k ’s Study:

Exodus 20; Isa. 5:20; Jo h n

15:10; Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18; Eph. 5:1-21; 1 John 5:2, 3; 2 John 1:6.

Memory Text:

“For you were once darkness, but now you are

light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8, NIV).

aul continues his exhortations on a life that will be “worthy of

the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NIV) by telling us to undertake the

Christian walk in all seriousness (Eph. 5:1-21). One doesn’t

have to read very far in Paul before one can see just how seriously

Paul takes the Christian walk. Paul knows nothing about cheap grace.

Though we are saved by what Christ has done for us, we must live in

response to the salvation we have been given in Jesus. We have a new

life; we now have to live that new life as God commands.

In the texts for this week, Paul provides five contextual reasons for

such a walk: love, judgment, light, wisdom, and fullness of the Holy

Spirit. Though devoting only a few words to each, Paul, nevertheless,

clearly sets out what is expected of those who once walked in dark-

ness but now are in the light.

The Week at a Glance:

What does walking in love mean?

How stern a warning did Paul give regarding the judgment upon

unrepentant sinners? What does it mean to walk in light as

opposed in darkness? What is the difference between walking

wisely and walking foolishly?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 3.

U N D AY

N o vember 27

Walk in Love

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in

love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offer-

ing and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph. 5:1,

2, NKJV).

Believers are called to be imitators of God. God in Christ is our

model in everything—in ethics, in suffering, in obedience, in work, in

prayer, and, above all, in love. So, we are admonished to “walk in

love.”

At least three principles emerge from the words of this text.

First, Christ’s love is selfless. It is agape love: a love that is based

on principle, not on emotion; an outgoing love that centers on meet-

ing the needs of others even though they are undeserving of it. God’s

love is such that He demonstrated “His own love toward us, in that

while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NKJV). To

walk in love is to love the unlovable.

Think

about someone unlovable. What tangible things can you do to

start showing this person love? Why not commit now to doing it?

Second, Christ’s love is sacrificial. Christ is the supreme example of

sacrifice. He bore the cross of shame and gave up His life in order that

humanity might be redeemed (2 Cor. 5:21). To walk in love is to aban-

don self in order to minister to others. “Discipleship means allegiance

to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that

Christians should be called upon to suffer.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1963), p. 101.

When

was the last time you actually suffered in behalf of someone

else? What does your answer tell you about yourself and the

changes you need to make?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Third, Christ’s love is reconciling. Christ reconciled all broken rela-

tionships and brought complete unity (Rom. 5:10, 2 Cor. 5:18). To

walk in Christ’s love is to be ministers of His reconciliation.

In what ways have you seen the power of love bring reconcilia-

tion? Think of an example you can share with the class.

O N D AY

N o vember 28

Walk in Vi ew of Ju d g m e n t

(Eph. 5:3-7)

Read

Ephesians 5:3-7 and then answer the following questions:

● What are the specific sins Paul warns about?

● In what ways are all these sins violations of the Te n

Commandments (see Exodus 20)?

● Notice how Paul contrasts these sins with his admonition to

“walk in love” (Eph. 5:2). Why are these sins the opposite of walk-

ing in love? See also Neh. 1:5; Dan. 9:4; John 15:10; 1 John 5:2, 3;

2 John 1:6.

● Look at the warning Paul gives in Ephesians 5:6. Given the

context, what do you think those “vain words” were about? See

also 1 John 3:7.

One of the great tragedies of life is to live as though God does not

exist or that it doesn’t matter if He does or not. Such an attitude fos-

ters a life that is restricted to the present with no thought for the future.

But the biblical view of life projects that history is moving toward an

ultimate point when all humankind shall be held accountable before

God’s judgment (2 Cor. 5:10, Heb. 9:27). Final accountability to God

is inescapable, and Paul warns that as surely as the love of God

appeared for the salvation of humanity, so surely “the wrath of God”

will appear “upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6, NKJV). The

divine wrath is divine judgment against evil and its children. Because

of this certainty of judgment, Paul appealed to the believers, “Do not

be partakers with them” (vs. 7, NKJV). With whom? Verse 6 speaks of

those “with empty words.” These were false teachers still clinging to

their pagan philosophy, denying the reality of sin and a final judgment

for that sin. No wonder Paul warns them to stay away from such peo-

ple and their philosophy, for they go counter to the truth as it is in

Jesus. Paul expresses horror at these false teachings and calls those

responsible as “sons of disobedience” upon whom will fall “the wrath

of God” (vs. 6, NKJV). As far as Christians are concerned, the apostle

pleads that among them there should not be even a hint, a thought, or

a joke concerning such sins.

If you look at the kind of sins that will bring judgment, Paul

said nothing about adultery or murder, the more “serious” sins.

Instead, he talks about such things as jesting and covetousness.

What should this tell us about the nature of even these sins?

U E S D A Y

N o vember 29

Walk in Light

(Eph. 5:8-14)

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8, NKJV).

Having defined the Christian life as walking in love, with a view of

the impending judgment, Paul now turns to a third aspect: walking as

children of light. In keeping with his style, he provides another con-

trast: Once you were children of darkness, now you are children of

light (Eph. 5:8).

While darkness represents the old life, light stands for the new. The

apostle recognizes that believers have moved from darkness to light

(vs. 8). Since conversion they have become light in the Lord; that is,

reflectors of the character of the One who said “ ‘I am the light of the

world’ ” (John 8:12).

Oftentimes

we tend to equate “light” with intellectual knowl-

edge, knowledge of facts, and “darkness” as ignorance of facts.

And though there’s some truth to this idea, read over Ephesians

5:8-14 and answer this question: What does Paul equate walking

in the light with? More specifically, is it dealing only with head

knowledge or with the moral life and the conduct of a Christian?

Why is this answer important?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Notice, too, Paul is so firm about living a life free from moral taint

that he not only admonishes us to stay away from those who do evil

but he also calls upon us to reprove them.

Read

carefully Ephesians 5:13. How does that help us understand

how we might reprove evil without having to open our mouths?

See John 3:20.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Have you ever known anyone whose lifestyle, demeanor, and

character acted as light that reproved your darkness? How did

you respond? Did you accept the silent reproof with humility

and repentance, or did you flee the light or even fight against it

by, perhaps, calling it darkness? See Isa. 5:20.

E D N E S D AY

N o vember 30

Walk in Wi s d o m

(Eph. 5:15-17)

Our Christian walk, Paul has told us, must be different from that of

the world. We ought to walk according to love. We must be mindful of

the judgment to come in all we do. We should take care that we walk

in light. Now Paul adds another dimension: walk with wisdom.

The

Bible talks a lot about wisdom. In the following verses, what kind

of wisdom is being talked about? 1 Cor. 1:20, 21; 3:19; 2 Cor. 1:12.

What are examples of this kind of wisdom?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

In contrast to this kind of wisdom, Paul, in these verses, talks about

a different kind of wisdom, a different kind of knowledge. As seen

earlier, this kind of knowledge isn’t mere head knowledge, a knowl-

edge of facts, however useful and helpful and “good” those facts could

be. Instead, the whole context here places knowledge in the context of

what we do. The wise do correctly, the ignorant do foolishly, regard-

less of how much intellectual knowledge either one has.

How

does Paul in Ephesians 5:17 describe what it means to be

“unwise”? How do these following verses help answer that ques-

tion? Ps. 111:10, Prov. 1:7, Isa. 33:6.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

The world exists only because of God; everything that exists does

so only through the will of God. It’s no wonder, then, that knowledge

would consist in knowing the will of God, at least as much as we are

able. Though there is much about God and His will we cannot know,

we can know that His will for us is that we live pure, holy lives, lives

that reflect His love and His character. This is true wisdom. Thus,

some of the “smartest” people in the world live in the grossest igno-

rance and darkness.

Ephesians 5:15 tells us to walk “carefully” (RSV) so we are not

“fools” (vs. 17, NEB) but wise. What practical things can we do

that will help us not to be “fools”?

H U R S D AY

December 1

Walk With the Fullness of the Spirit

(Eph. 5:18-20)

To the four elements of the Christian walk, Paul adds the final and,

perhaps, the most operative element: “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph.

5:18). Believers filled with the Holy Spirit will have His empower-

ment to walk the Christian way in love, in light, in wisdom, and in the

sense of the coming judgment. Enlightenment and empowerment are

two of the great blessings that come from the indwelling Spirit.

Read

Ephesians 5:18. Why do you think Paul used the example of

alcohol there? What point is he making? See also Rom. 6:16.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Though Paul is using alcohol in his example, he could really be

talking about anything that comes between the believer and the power

of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we should let nothing control us

over and beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul is making a

profound theological statement that is fundamental to the experience

of the new birth and sanctification that come as a result of the work

of the Holy Spirit. The question every Christian needs to ask is,

“Under whose control is my body, mind, and spirit functioning? Is it

under the control of alcohol or greed or lust or covetousness or any-

thing else that can hinder my walk with God? Or is it under the con-

trol of the Holy Spirit?” The Spirit is what guides in the path we

should go; if anything else controls us, we will surely be led astray.

we are to be “filled” with the Spirit, how much room exists for any-

thing else?

After

telling them to be “filled with the Spirit,” what does Paul then

tell them to do? See Eph. 5:19-21. How are all these things related?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

If someone were to ask you, “Have you received the Holy

Spirit?” what would your answer be? What would you present

as evidence of your having received the fullness of the Spirit?

R I D A Y

December 2

Further Study:

Walking in love. “All who are imbued with His

Spirit will love as He loved. The very principle that actuated Christ

will actuate them in all their dealing one with another.

“This love is the evidence of their discipleship.‘By this shall all men

know that ye are My disciples,’ said Jesus, ‘if ye have love one to

another.’ When men are bound together, not by force or self-interest,

but by love, they show the working of an influence that is above every

human influence. Where this oneness exists, it is evidence that the

image of God is being restored in humanity, that a new principle of

life has been implanted.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 678.

Discussion Questions:

●

Based on Sunday’s lesson, share, as a class, examples of the

power of love bringing reconciliation between either groups or

individuals who were previously in contention. What lessons can

we learn from these examples for ourselves?

●

“Let no one deceive you with empty words”—that is, false

teachings (Eph. 5:6, NKJV). What are some of the false teachings

currently disturbing the Christian faith, and how would you han-

dle them?

●

Discuss the question of what “holiness” is. Is it more than a

mere adherence to the law? Can you be a strict follower of the

law and still not be holy?

●

As a class, take time together to do what Paul tells believers in

Ephesians 5:19, 20 to do. Sing some songs and have people give

testimonies of thankfulness to God. When done, ask “What ben-

efits do we get, as believers, by praising God and openly giving

thanks? Why should we make a habit of doing this?”

●

Discuss the difference between worldly wisdom and godly wis-

dom (see Wednesday’s lesson). Are they necessarily in contradic-

tion with each other? Can worldly wisdom ever help us better

understand godly wisdom? If so, in what way?

tor

I N S I D E

A Sacrifice of Love

by S

ETRA

ATSIMBA

Setra is a teenager living in Madagascar. When he was little, his father

took him and his five brothers and sisters to church every Sabbath. Setra’s

mother was not an Adventist. When Setra was seven, his father died, and

no one took the children to church. The family struggled to survive on the

little money his mother could earn sewing for the neighbors.

A few years later Setra’s neighbors invited the children to attend

Sabbath School again. Once more Setra and his brothers and sisters

walked one hour to Sabbath School on Sabbath. When he was old enough,

Setra joined the baptismal class and was baptized. One by one his siblings

stopped attending the church, leaving Setra to worship alone.

On Sabbath everyone got up early. Setra went to Sabbath School, and

his brothers and sisters went to the fields to work. Often he remained at

the church until sundown so he could attend all the meetings and not be

under the influence of secular music or talking.

On Sunday while the other members of the family rested, Setra gathered

wood to sell in the marketplace. Then, because his mother was getting too

old to work, Setra washed the family’s clothes at the river. Sometimes he

was tempted to grumble that he had to do women’s work, but he decided

to make scrubbing his family’s clothes his sacrifice of love. Alone at the

riverside, Setra sang praises to God as he dipped the clothes into the river,

sprinkled soap powder on them, then scrubbed them by hand. He prayed

as he rinsed each piece and wrung it dry. Then he sang as he carried the

laundry home and laid it on the grass to dry.

Setra does not mind working on Sunday. He is grateful that his brothers

and sisters allow him to worship God on

Sabbath. Setra asks that the worldwide church

pray that he will remain faithful in Jesus and

that his family will turn their lives over to

God.

ETRA

ATSIMBA

is 18 years old. He lives in a small

town near Antananarivo, Madagascar.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

*December 3-9

Christian

R e l a t i o n s h i p s

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Exod. 20:12; Judges 1:21;

Luke 9:23; John 3:13; Rom. 5:8; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-9; 1 John 4:10, 11.

Memory Text:

“Submitting to one another in the fear of God”

(Ephesians 5:21, NKJV).

phesians 1–3 gave us the basic theology of the church. From

chapter 4 on, Paul discusses the practical application of this the-

ology and how it applies to the Christian life, which, among

other things, preserves unity amid diversity, emphasizes the Christian

walk, and (as we’ll study now) builds adequate relationships.

In the final analysis, Christianity is a religion of relationships, rela-

tionships with God and with each other. It makes no sense to claim to

have a vital relationship with God without that relationship impacting

how we relate to family and community. Church, home, and work are

the primary arenas of Christian living. One cannot be a saint in the

church and a devil at home. Christianity is not holiness in a vacuum.

It is holiness in wholeness; that is, it affects every dimension of liv-

ing—spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social. This week’s lesson

turns to principles of Christian relationships.

The Week at a Glance:

What is Christian submission?

How are those in authority supposed to act toward those under

their authority? How are husbands and wives to relate to each

other? What does Paul write about parent/child relationships?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 10.

U N D AY

December 4

Submit to One A n o t h e r

(Eph. 5:21).

Read

Ephesians 5:21. What is Paul saying here to us?

The verse is connected to the clause in Ephesians 5:18: “Be filled

with the Spirit” (NKJV). Christian submission must not be equated

with servility but rather with a proper attitude of humility and consid-

eration to each other. Admittedly, such an attitude is not part of the

natural self but a result of being “filled” with the Spirit, as was the

case with fellowship and worship, singing and praising, and continual

thanksgiving (Eph. 5:19, 20).

Viewed thus, submission does not carry the meaning we normally

attribute to it. The biblical view of submission in no way teaches a dic-

tatorial, authoritarian, unjust stance in social relationships where one

exercises power and the other crawls in helplessness.

Indeed, Paul adds a qualifying clause to his counsel on submission:

“in the fear of God” or “out of reverence for Christ” (NIV). The

Christians’ conduct and relationship with each other—be it between

husband and wife, parent and child, master and slave—does involve

submission but in the context of reverence for Christ. God is not a

wrecker but a builder. He is not dictatorial and selfish but loving.

Reverence for Christ draws a line beyond which the call for submis-

sion does not extend. Where submission is a violation of one’s con-

science or contradictory to God’s will, Peter’s bold stance, “We ought

to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), must take over. What

should a wife or daughter do when the man of the house insists she go

into prostitution in order to meet his economic demands? What should

a child do if the father commands him to be a street-corner vender for

drugs? Submit? Never. Submission in human relationships is never

absolute and unquestioned. As its border, it has the will of God. When

a so-called Christian expects submission beyond that border, that per-

son has no right to be called a Christian and deserves to be dismissed

from any Christian privilege. Submission “in the fear of God” (Eph.

5:21) demands respect on the part of wife and dignity and honor on

the part of husband. This is even more crucial in an age such as ours,

during which spousal and child abuse abound. No child of God should

become or should be treated as a doormat.

It’s one thing to submit when we shouldn’t submit, but what

about submitting when we really need to? Sometimes that’s

even harder. Why is the foot of the Cross the only place where

we can learn the meaning of Christian submission? What role

does death to self play in submission? See Luke 9:23.

O N D A Y

December 5

Au t h o r i t y

(Eph. 5:22; 6:1, 5)

The question of submission and obedience on the part of a wife, a

c h i l d, or a slave raises the issue of authority. Upon what authority does

a husband, a fa t h e r, and a master expect submission and obedience?

Ephesians 5:21 says submission is to be “in the fear of God” or “out of

r e verence for Christ” ( N I V ) . Similar phrases occur in other places: “as

to the Lord” (vs. 22, NKJV), “in the Lord” (Eph. 6:1), “as to Christ”

(vs. 5, NKJV). These repeated references to Christ seem to indicate a

d i vine order to this authority structure. Even though Paul does not

elaborate on this point, he provides a useful analogy in the relationship

b e t ween Christ and the church. “Christ is head of the church,” and,

therefore, “the church is subject to Christ” (Eph. 5:23, 24, NKJV). T h e

headship of Christ is the model to which the church subjects itself.

L i kewise, the headship of the husband, fa t h e r, and master is to follow

the model established by Christianity. Authority is not tyranny nor is

it without limits. In fact, Paul argues that both authority and submis-

sion are as in Christ, who “loved the church, and gave himself for it”

(vs. 25). This point cannot be overemphasized. Love, not powe r, is the

m o t ivation behind the authority given to preserve the order of an or-

ganizational unit such as home or household. Similarly, love, not fear

or a feeling of inferiority, is the motivation for submission.

What

do these verses say about Christian human relationships?

Gen. 1:26, 27

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Acts 17:26

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Gal. 3:28

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Eph. 3:6

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before the Lord we are all the same: sinners in need of divine grace.

Though the concepts of authority and submission have been perverted,

that doesn’t mean they aren’t biblical. Those in positions of authority

must always remember who they are in relationship to God and to oth-

ers who might be under that authority. To pervert this role is, surely,

a grievous sin before the Lord, who knows even if a sparrow falls to

the ground (Matt. 10:29-31).

If some people need to learn submission at the foot of the Cross,

what can those in authority learn at the Cross that could help

them use their authority in a God-given manner?

U E S D A Y

December 6

Husbands and Wive s

(Eph. 5:22-25)

As we read the verses for today, we can see that marriage is a divine

institution, with husband and wife being equal partners (Gen. 2:24,

Eph. 5:31). The unity and equality of the partners is stressed in the

divine utterance that the two “shall become one flesh” (vs. 31, NKJV).

Compare this with Ephesians 2:14, which speaks of how Christ made

one out of two (Jew and Gentile), and you will realize the marvel of

the divine origin of both marriage and church.

Also, Christ and the church are closely linked. Christ is the Head,

and the church is the body (5:23). Without stretching the metaphor to

dangerous proportions, it must be noted: (a) As body, the church is

subordinate to Christ, the Head; (b) as Head, Christ loves His body the

church, died for it, saved it, and sanctified it.

Submission and love do not antagonize the partners in marriage but

bring them together. After all, submission means to give oneself up

completely to the other. Love means the same thing and includes lov-

ing to the extent of dying for the other, even as Christ did.

H o w

does the metaphor of Christ’s relationship to the church help us

u n d e r stand how the husband is to relate to the wife? What fo rc e

must be the prime motivator? See Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:10, 11; Jude 21.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

This intimate relationship between Christ and the church should be

reflected between husband and wife. And though Paul and Peter are

clear that wives are to “submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord”

(Eph. 5:22, NKJV; see also Col. 3:18, 1 Pet. 3:1), he balances that by

telling the husbands they must love their wives (see Eph. 5:25, 28;

Col. 3:19). This love is to be modeled after Christ’s love (Eph. 5:25)—

unreserved and sacrificial. The husband’s headship spells not tyranny

but responsibility in a partnership, while submission means not ser-

vility but honor, fidelity, and respect. Of course, we need to recognize

human frailties: There are husbands who treat their wives as servants

and abuse them endlessly. But that is a cultural and sin problem that

Paul is not addressing here.

What are some of the forces in your own society and culture that

are warring against marriage? How is what Paul wrote here a

powerful means to protect marriage against those forces?

E D N E S D A Y

December 7

C h i l d ren and Pa re n t s

(Exod. 20:12, Eph. 6:1-4)

No other religion or philosophy has done as much for children as

Christianity. William Wilberforce, a devout Christian, ended child

labor in England. William Carey, the pioneer of Christian missions,

acted to end child marriage and widow burning in India. Today in

some rural areas in southern India, female infants are choked or poi-

soned to death, and Christian hospitals and pastors have set up cradles

outside their doors so that unwanted female infants could be placed

there without anyone noticing.

Roman culture during the time of the apostle Paul was even worse.

Barclay quotes the famous Seneca: “We slaughter a fierce ox; we

strangle a mad dog; we plunge the knife into sickly cattle lest they

taint the herd; children who are born weakly and deformed we

drown.”—The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 176.

At a time like that, Paul writes to Christian parents and their chil-

dren in a famous Roman city. How delighted the children must have

been to be acknowledged in the letter from the great apostle.

What

two things are expected of children? At the same time, how

does Paul qualify his words regarding children and their parents?

How does that qualification parallel what Paul says to wives

regarding how they should relate to their husbands? What differ-

ences are there, as well? Eph. 6:1-4; see also Eph. 5:22, Col. 3:18.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Paul offers two reasons for obedience. First, it is right; it is the natu-

ral, accepted norm in every society. Second, God’s moral law demands

it.

Christian artists have depicted the law on two tablets: one contain-

ing the first four commandments and the other the last six—dividing

our duty to God and to humans. But Jews had five on each table, as if

to signify that honor to parents belongs with honor to God.

While obedience is expected of children when they are dependent

on parents, honor toward them is a lifelong duty.

Paul counsels parents not to “provoke your children to wrath” (Eph.

6:4, NKJV). Think of some things that may do just that: poor exam-

ple, hypocrisy, inconsistency, harshness. What else?

What forces in your society work against strong and loving

parental/child relationships? What does Christianity offer that

can protect those relationships?

H U R S D A Y

December 8

S l aves and Masters

(Eph. 6:5-9)

The Roman Empire had millions of slaves during Paul’s day. The

entire economic and social structure depended on slave labor. Slaves,

for the most part, were treated as no better than working animals.

Even a great man like Aristotle taught that slaves were only work

tools. Ownership of one human being by another without any regard

or respect to that individual’s God-given rights and dignity must have

been revolting to a sensitive and deeply spiritual leader like Paul.

Paul counsels the slaves in Ephesus to obey their masters and do

their work as if they are doing it for Christ (Eph. 6:5). Work done in

sincerity and goodwill “as to the Lord, and not to men” will not go

unrewarded (vss. 7, 8, NKJV). Paul recognizes that slaves cannot

change their circumstances, but they can conquer them. There we have

a good Christian philosophy: While we cannot destroy evil at the

moment, we must not let evil destroy us.

Though

there’s no direct condemnation of the practice of slavery in

the Bible, how do the following texts in their own way speak out

against the principles behind the practice? Matt. 22:39, Mark

10:44, Luke 6:31, Rom. 12:10, Phil. 2:3, 1 John 4:11.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Paul’s counsel to the masters is also quite pointed. He reminds them

that they, too, have a Master in heaven, from whom they have received

grace and forgiveness of sins. Hence his appeal for the slave owners

to be gentle, not threatening, toward their servants (Eph. 6:9).

Why didn’t Paul do anything more? “It was not the apostle’s work

to overturn arbitrarily or suddenly the established order of society. To

attempt this would be to prevent the success of the gospel. But he

taught principles which struck at the very foundation of slavery and

which, if carried into effect, would surely undermine the whole sys-

tem.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 459, 460.

Paul’s ministry did bear fruit, and many slave owners became ardent

Christians, along with their slaves.

Philemon is a good example. Paul, sending back this escaped slave,

Onesimus, writes to Philemon to accept him “no longer as a slave

but . . . as a beloved brother” (Philem. 16, NKJV).

What principles can you take from Paul’s words that can help

you better understand how you should act (depending upon

your situation) toward either your boss or those who work

under you or both?

R I D AY

December 9

Further Study:

Parents and children. “Parents, God desires you to

make your family a sample of the family in heaven. Guard your chil-

dren. Be kind and tender with them. Father, mother, and children are

to be joined together with the golden links of love. One well-ordered,

well-disciplined family is a greater power in demonstrating the effi-

ciency of Christianity than all the sermons in the world.”—Ellen G.

White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1118.

“The Lord Jesus has not been correctly represented in His relation

to the church by many husbands in their relation to their wives, for

they do not keep the way of the Lord. They declare that their wives

must be subject to them in everything. But it was not the design of

God that the husband should have control, as head of the house, when

he himself does not submit to Christ. He must be under the rule of

Christ that he may represent the relation of Christ to the church. If he

is a coarse, rough, boisterous, egotistical, harsh, and overbearing man,

let him never utter the word that the husband is the head of the wife,

and that she must submit to him in everything; for he is not the Lord,

he is not the husband in the true significance of the term.”—Ellen G.

White, The Adventist Home, p. 117.

Discussion Questions:

●

Supposing you are made aware that one of your church mem-

bers is involved in spousal abuse; how should the church handle

the issue?

●

As a church, should we keep silent about important social

issues, or should we get involved? Are there some issues better

left alone? If so, how do we determine what they are? Also, dis-

cuss these questions: In what ways can getting involved in social

concerns deflect us from our real mission? Or, are social con-

cerns part of our real mission?

●

As a class, talk about the questions asked at the end of

Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s lessons. What are the forces working

against our families, and what can you as a class do that could

help local church members as they face these assaults?

tor

I N S I D E

“Bless My Son”

by K

AREN

LASSFORD

“Please madam, bless my son,” the man pleaded.

I was a member of an evangelistic team that had traveled to India to

teach people about the only true God, to wrest them from their fear and

darkness and bring them to the light of Christ.

“What is wrong with your son?” I asked the man.

“Hand not work, long time,” he said, holding up his son’s stiff arm. The

thin fingers had curled into a tight ball and refused to move.

I burrowed my finger inside his fist and asked, “Can you squeeze my

hand?” His sad brown eyes looked at me as he tried to move his fingers.

But he could not move them. He wanted me to know that he understood

my request, so he grabbed my hand with his good hand and squeezed hard.

“Oh Lord,” I prayed, “I do not know what this man and his son know

about You, but they have come asking for Your healing touch. This boy

cannot play as other boys do, and when he is grown it will be hard for him

to earn a living unless he can use both of his hands. Please Lord, if it is

Your will, heal this little boy and fill him with your love. . . .”

A gasp startled my eyes open, and I stared at the boy. His face glowed

with wonder and amazement as he watched his fingers relax from their

tight fist. Slowly he wriggled his stiff little fingers, then he moved his

wrist, which also had been stiff just moments before. A smile streaked

across the boy’s face, and his eyes shone with joy.

I squeaked out an emotional “amen,” too moved to say anymore. I had

just watched the God of the universe step down into a tiny rice field out-

side a little Indian village and take note of a little boy’s need.

Night after night during the meetings, people came to hear the message

of God’s love. Some, like this little boy, came for healing. Hope struggled

against fear as they made decisions to give up their idols and cling to Jesus

instead. Joy filled their eyes as they realized that this Jesus truly is the God

who made heaven, earth, and them. With new hope and a new purpose in

their hearts, they are starting their journey to heaven and an eternity worth

looking forward to.

AREN

LASSFORD

is a homemaker and mother living in California.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o rg website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

E S S O N

*December 10-16

The Christian

Warfare

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

Isa. 35:4; Dan. 10:19;

Luke 22:31; Rom. 7:15-20; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8; Rev. 12:9.

Memory Text:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the

darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the

heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV).

he reality of the wa r. The Bible begins with two great accounts.

First, God created a perfect world and placed Adam and Eve in

s t e wardship of this perfect world (Gen. 1:27, 28). S e c o n d, Satan

led Adam and Eve into a rebellion against God, bringing that world and

the entire humanity under the curse of sin (Genesis 3). The Bible also

proclaims two great accounts of good news. First, God sends His Son

to this earth to die for the sins of the world and reconcile the fa l l e n

humanity unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:14-18). The Cross and the resurr e c t i o n

of Christ ensure the ultimate destruction of sin and Satan at the end of

the world. The second part of the good news is that God will create the

n e w heaven and new earth as the home of the saints ( J ohn 14:1-3).

Between these accounts the Inspired Word traces the perils and the

progress of the great war between Christ and Satan, a war that we are

all involved in. This week we look at Paul’s words on how we can be

victorious.

The Week at a Glance:

How real is the Christian war-

fare? Ultimately, what kind of battle are we in? What are some of

the wiles of the devil? Where and how do we fight this enemy?

What promises do we have of victory over Satan?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 17.

U N D AY

December 11

F i n a l ly . . . the Wa r

Paul begins his narration of the Christian warfare with the words

“Finally, my brethren” (Eph. 6:10). The word finally makes a forceful

point. Thus far, Paul has outlined how God has redeemed us from sin

through Christ, sealed us by His Spirit, brought us into a fellowship of

unity, and made us a family of God. As members of this new family,

God expects us to “walk worthy of [His] calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV) by

putting away the old sinful life; by putting on the new transformed

being; by walking in purity, in love, in light, in wisdom, and in godly

relationship with all. The Christian life and walk should be in the full-

ness of the Holy Spirit (see Eph. 5:18).

But there is a demonic, evil spirit working against the Christian.

Satan desires to have us, as he did Peter (Luke 22:31). So, Paul says,

“Finally, my brethren,” get ready for the daily battle against Satan.

The word finally provides a summary or a conclusion. But the

Greek word can be rendered better by the phrase “From henceforth”

or “From now on.”

Read

Luke 22:31. What do you think Jesus meant when He said that

Satan desired to “sift” Peter? What does it mean when Satan

“sifts” a person?

Read

Ephesians 6:10. As Paul begins this exhortation, what’s his

point? How are we to fight? What hope does God’s Word give us

that we can be victorious?

Paul has spoken of God at work in Christ for us. The coming of

Christ in history has introduced a new and powerful dimension in the

cosmic battle between God and Satan. Christ’s victory over Satan on

the cross has become the basis of the believer’s acceptance before

God. But the believers should know that their journey to the kingdom

has just begun. “From now on,” they have many battles to fight, a cun-

ning enemy to contend with, and a war to win “against the wiles of the

devil” (Eph. 6:11). “With full assurance of faith we may expect that

He will unite His omnipotence with the efforts of human instrumen-

talities, for the glory of His name. Clad with the armor of His right-

eousness, we may gain the victory over every foe.”—Ellen G. White,

Prophets and Kings, p. 111.

Think about a time you were victorious in a spiritual battle and

a time you failed. What made the difference?

O N D AY

December 12

“The Wiles of the Dev i l ”

(Eph. 6:11)

Paul’s description of the spiritual warfare begins with a general

warning to be aware of the “wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

What are the wiles of the devil? The devil does not always or neces-

s a r i ly attack the believer in the most obvious and evil ways. Often his

ways are subtle, and his appeals may appear to uphold higher and

n o b ler motives. Note two examples: First, the high motive he offers in

his temptation to Eve in Genesis 3:1-5; second, the eagerness to estab-

lish the Messianic kingdom on earth with which he filled the mind of

J u d a s .

In his book The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis presents a series of

imaginary letters that Screwtape, a senior demon, writes to a junior

partner not experienced in the skillful art of tripping the saints. For

example, when John is praying for his mother who is suffering from

rheumatism, Screwtape advises the junior demon not to cause John to

lose faith in prayer. Instead, John should be encouraged to pray for his

mother at all times; meanwhile, John’s attention should be diverted

from the necessity of massaging his mother’s aching joints.

In another letter, Screwtape suggests that Christians must be

encouraged to worry and fret over great and grave issues in order to

divert their attention from real and immediate problems. The name of

the game, says Screwtape, “is to have them all running about with fire

extinguishers whenever there is a flood.”—(London: Collins Clear-

Type Press, 1956), pp. 128, 129.

Look up the following texts: How, in each case, can we see how Satan

works? Do any of these methods seem especially familiar to you?

Job 2:9

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Zech. 3:1

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mark 4:15

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Luke 22:3

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2 Cor. 2:10, 11

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

1 Thess. 2:18

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2 Pet. 3:4

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Rev. 12:12

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U E S D A Y

December 13

The Enemy We Fa c e

How

does Paul describe the enemy we face? What is he really saying

to us about the kind of battle we are engaged in? Eph. 6:12.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

First, our primary enemy is not “flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12)—that

is, not human. Selfishness, pride, egotism, and anti-Christian hostility

are all forces Christians have to contend with, but there are cosmic

powers greater than all these working to disconnect our relationship

with God.

Second, our enemy is described as “principalities,” “powers,” and

“rulers of the darkness of this age” (vs. 12, NKJV). They are “spiritual

agents from the very headquarters of evil” (vs. 12, Philips). The

description is frightening but real, indicating superhuman, cosmic,

demonic forces that contend for our allegiance in opposition to God.

Whose shall we be? Satan’s or God’s? That’s the central pursuit of the

Christian warfare, the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

Satan is our adversary. A relentless and formidable foe, he is a

vicious fighter, lurking “about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he

may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8, NKJV). He is the accuser (Rev. 12:10), a liar

and murderer (John 8:44). He has sinned from the beginning (1 John

3:8), perverts the way of the Lord (Acts 13:10), “deceives the whole

world” (Rev. 12:9, NKJV), wars against God’s remnant church (Rev.

12:17, NKJV), persecutes the saints (Rev. 2:10), can appear even as an

angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), and, at the end of this age, will lead all

those opposed to God in a final battle to overthrow His rule (2 Thess.

2:4-10). It is against this superhuman being and his army of fallen

angels that Christians are engaged in a constant and continuous war-

fare. “In every soul two powers are struggling earnestly for the vic-

tory. Unbelief marshals its forces, led by Satan, to cut us off from the

Source of our strength. Faith marshals its forces, led by Christ, the

author and finisher of our faith. Hour by hour, in the sight of the heav-

enly universe, the conflict goes forward. This is a hand-to-hand fight,

and the great question is, Which shall obtain the mastery?”—Ellen G.

White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 328.

In your own life, how have you experienced this struggle

between these two forces? In what ways is the battle mani-

fested? How well does Satan hide? How aware are you of what’s

really going on?

100

E D N E S D A Y

December 14

“Be Strong . . . in the Power of His Might”

The word w r e s t l e (see Eph. 6:12), as used to describe the Christian

wa r f are, indicates two things. First, it is like a hand-to-hand combat, as

in wrestling. Second, the enemy is as close and immediate as the oppo-

nent in wrestling. The enemy is both subtle and audacious in his

attempts to deceive those who have their faith and loyalty rooted in

Christ. Vi c t o ry in this wa r fare depends on three fundamental principles

of Christian life and faith: “Be strong” (vs. 10); “Put on the whole arm o r

of God” (vs. 11, NKJV); and “Stand” (vss. 11, 13, 14). To d ay ’s lesson

will focus on the first essential; the other two will be examined later.

The

phrase “Be strong” appears in the New King James Version more

than thirty times, three of which are in the New Testament. In

most cases, the expression signifies God’s call to face fearlessly the

enemy in either physical or spiritual conflict. The call suggests

that God is saying “Your strength comes from Me. Therefore, be

strong, and be not afraid.” Look up the following texts and note

the assurance offered in each one, despite the varying circum-

stances. How could you apply that admonition to yourself and

whatever struggles you are now facing? Josh. 10:25, Isa. 35:4, Dan.

10:19, 1 Cor. 16:13.

Paul’s call is to “be strong in the Lord” (Eph. 6:10). God’s eternal

foe can be fought only by his oppontnts being on the side of God.

“ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of

hosts” (Zech. 4:6, NKJV). Spiritual hosts of wickedness cannot be

fought by human strength, however great and refined and morally pre-

cise that human strength may be, but only by spiritual forces. Nothing

short of the power that flows from God through the Holy Spirit will

suffice in fighting the evil one. “Without Me,” said Jesus, “you can do

nothing” (John 15:5, NKJV). To this Paul adds: “Thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57,

NKJV). His grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:9).

Paul adds one more specific to “Be strong in the Lord.” The strength

from the Lord flows from the “power of His might” (Eph. 6:10,

NKJV). Already, in Ephesians 1:17-21 Paul prays that we would ex-

perience God’s power as He displayed it in Christ’s resurrection. In

Ephesians 2:1-7 the apostle explains how he hopes we will experience

this power. Just as God was able to raise Christ from the dead, so He

is able to raise us from death in sin to newness of life in Christ, and it

is in this resurrection power that we ought to fight “the spiritual forces

of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12, NIV).

101

H U R S D AY

December 15

“Put On . . . S t a n d ”

Having

issued the call to “be strong . . . in the power of His might”

(Eph. 6:10, NKJV), Paul gives what admonition to the believers?

What does he tell them to do, and why? Eph. 6:11.

In ourselves we have neither the strength of the will nor the tenac-

ity of endurance to face the devil. By nature we are sinners (Rom.

3:23). Sin has separated us from God (Isa. 59:2), made us its slaves

(John 8:34, Rom. 6:16), and corrupted our minds and consciences

(2 Cor. 3:14, 2 Tim. 3:13).

Look

up the following texts. What role do we have in this battle

against Satan and sin? Are we to be passive, or is there a battle we

must endure? Matt. 16:24; Luke 13:24; Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 2:3; Phil.

4:1; James 5:10, 11; 1 Pet. 4:1.

Even though Christ has defeated Satan on the cross and gives that

victory to us, our new life is not without its perils. As Herman

Ridderbos, a noted New Testament theologian, points out: The satanic

powers, “however much already vanquished in Christ, have not yet

become harmless. But in order to be able to contend against them suit-

ably, the church has received an armor from God, so richly furnished

that it is able to continue to stand.”—Paul: An Outline of His Theology

(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1975), p. 392.

It is with this armor that God sends us into battle against “spiritual

hosts of wickedness” (Eph. 6:12, NKJV). This armor is more than ade-

quate to deal with Satan’s deceptive schemes. Satan is a cunning

enemy and will not fight fair. He will use every trick he can—from

turning into a talking serpent (Genesis 3) to masquerading as an angel

of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Hence Paul’s twofold admonition: “Put on.”

“Stand.”

“Put on” is a command to take something that does not originate

with us. Anything that springs from within us is totally insufficient to

meet the foe. “Put on” also indicates the idea of permanence; the

Christian cannot live for a moment without the “armor of God” (Eph.

6:11, NKJV)—and it must cover the entire being, from head to toe,

from thought to action. In Ephesians 6:11-14, four times Paul urges

the believers to “stand”—hold the ground, resist the enemy, be awake

and alert, and never surrender. Victory is ours.

If you know someone who is going through “hand-to-hand”

combat with Satan right now, why not spend time with that per-

son? Besides prayer, what other things can you do to help?

102

R I D AY

December 16

Further Study:

The cosmic war. “In the Word of God are repre-

sented two contending parties that influence and control human agen-

cies in our world. Constantly these parties are working with every

human being. Those who are under God’s control and who are influ-

enced by the heavenly angels, will be able to discern the crafty work-

ings of the unseen powers of darkness. Those who desire to be in har-

mony with the heavenly agencies should be intensely in earnest to do

God’s will. They must give no place whatever to Satan and his

angels.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary,

vol. 6, p. 1119.

Warfare as a lifelong conflict. “The enemy will use every argument,

every deception, to entangle the soul; and in order to win the crown of

life, we must put forth earnest, persevering effort. We must not lay off

the armor or leave the battlefield until we have gained the victory, and

can triumph in our Redeemer.

“As long as we continue to keep our eyes fixed upon the Author and

Finisher of our faith we shall be safe. But our affections must be

placed upon things above, not on things on the earth. By faith we must

rise higher and still higher in the attainments of the graces of Christ.

By daily contemplating His matchless charms, we must grow more

and more into His glorious image.”—Ellen G. White, My Life Today,

p. 105.

Discussion Questions:

●

As a class, read aloud 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and discuss what

insights you find on spiritual warfare.

●

Satan’s wiles often involve a subtle combination of truth with

error (for example, the common tendency to equate material

prosperity as God’s approval and blessing on one’s life). What

are other examples of this mixture of truth and error Satan uses

to deceive?

●

Is there an individual or a group of people your class knows

who is in the midst of a deep spiritual struggle? What practical

things can you, as a class, do that can show these people your care

and support?

tor

I N S I D E

103

The Reluctant Carpenter

by H

ECTOR

ALLARDO

Hector Gallardo wanted a better life than he could find in his homeland,

Chile. So he traveled to Argentina to find work. He was a carpenter by

trade, but he wanted something better. He worked hard and started his own

business. For eight years life was good, and he did not think about God.

Then he was accused of a crime he did not commit and was sent to prison.

He spent two years in prison, far from his home and family.

In prison Hector had time to think. He remembered a dream he had as

a youth in which Jesus was angry with him. In another dream bad things

happened to him. Hector decided that his dreams were coming true. He

wondered if Jesus really was angry with him.

One day a fellow prisoner gave him a Bible, and Hector began reading

it. He could not understand many things he read, but he doggedly kept on

reading. He fasted and prayed as he read the Bible. After one long fast he

felt weak, but other prisoners said that his face was shining, and they were

afraid of him.

Another prisoner gave him a copy of The Great Controversy. He began

reading it and found that it contained many new ideas. He compared the

book’s claims with the Bible and found them to be true.

At last Hector was released from prison. He took his Bible and The

Great Controversy with him. He wanted to find the people who published

the book, a group called Seventh-day Adventists. After searching for sev-

eral days, he found a small group of Adventist believers. He stayed near

the church and worshiped with them, studying the Bible with them, learn-

ing more about his new faith. After four months, the group of believers

asked Hector to be their leader. But he told them he was not yet baptized.

They urged him to prepare for baptism.

Shortly after his baptism, the same voice that had spoken to him in

prison told him to return to Chile and share his faith with his family.

Reluctantly he packed his few possessions and returned home.

His family welcomed him home, but when he told them that he had

become an Adventist, they laughed at him and said he was crazy. It took

seven years for his parents and sister to accept God’s message and join the

Adventist church.

Hector once more works as a carpenter, sharing his faith with those who

come to his carpenter shop in Chile. He is satisfied to spend his life where

God wants him, even if he never becomes rich.

ECTOR

ALLARDO

serves as a local elder in his home church in La Union, Chile.

P rod uced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o rg

104

E S S O N

*December 17-23

The

Christian

Armor

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This Week’s Study:

John 14:6; 18:38; Rom.

1:16, 17; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 6:13-18; 1 Thess. 5:8.

Memory Text:

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that

you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all,

to stand” (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV).

he whole armor of God. “The Christian life is a battle and a

march. In this warfare there is no release; the effort must be

continuous and persevering. It is by unceasing endeavor that we

maintain the victory over the temptations of Satan.”—Ellen G. White,

The Ministry of Healing, p. 453.

While we cannot escape our warfare with Satan, we are given two

assurances. First, Christ has already defeated Satan on the cross, and

His victory is ours (Gal. 2:20); second, Christ has provided us a

“whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11, NKJV). Do not miss Paul’s point

about the “whole” armor. The apostle lists at least six items that make

up this armor. We need them all, because all are forged and furnished

by God as one unit, and we cannot afford to neglect one part without

weakening the entire armor. This week we’ll study five of the six, sav-

ing the last one for next week.

The Week at a Glance:

What is the biblical concept of

“truth”? What is the “breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14)?

How crucial is the “gospel of peace” (vs. 15) to the Christian faith?

How does faith protect us from Satan’s assaults? What is the “hel-

met of salvation” (vs. 17)?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 24.

105

U N D A Y

December 18

“ G i r d Your Waist With Tr u t h ”

(Eph. 6:14, NKJV)

“What is truth?” (John 18:38). Pilate asked Jesus perhaps one of the

most important and frequently asked questions in life. Human beings

have probed the question throughout history. Consider some of the

possible answers: Truth is what’s logical; truth is what works; truth is

relative; truth is testable observation; truth is what my religion or

priest tells me.

Look

up the following texts; how do they help us understand the bib-

lical concept of truth?

Ps. 31:5, Isa. 65:16

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ps. 43:3

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ps. 86:11, 3 John 4

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

John 14:6

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

John 14:17

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

John 17:17

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

U l t i m a t e l y, the Christian view of truth is not merely a concept, not a

philosophic position, not a rational and logical statement. To a

Christian, truth is a Person: Jesus Christ, in whom “the fullness of God”

(Eph. 3:19, NKJV) and His truth are revealed. The Truth that is Jesus is

a saving, redeeming truth: It calls for a death to sin; it calls for a life of

righteousness, moral integr i t y, spiritual coherence, and a faithfulness to

G o d ’s expectations in all relationships. Truth invo l ves not only what we

b e l i eve but also what we do. Only unreserved commitment to Christ can

a rm each one of us with truth in a world of sin and deception. Hence

Pa u l ’s admonition elsewhere: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make

no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom. 13:14, NKJV).

In New Testament times, a Roman soldier tied a belt around his

waist to hold up his clothing so he could march without any impedi-

ment. The Christian’s belt is truth. Jesus, the Truth, must so envelop

our entire being that what we are within or what we are without do not

become a hindrance in our spiritual warfare. Our talk and our walk,

our worship and our work, will reveal we are subject to Him who is

the truth and in whom there is no variation.

How would you answer the questions “What is truth?” and

“What does knowing truth do for you?”

106

O N D AY

December 19

The Breastplate of Righteousness

(Eph. 6:14)

The second part of the Christian armor is the breastplate of right-

eousness. If God’s truth as revealed in Christ forms the foundation of

Christian life and integrity, that life needs to be guarded by the breast-

plate of righteousness. A Roman soldier wore a large metal plate from

his neck to thigh to protect his vital organs from enemy attack—some-

what like the bulletproof vests of today. The Christian life is protected

not by a breastplate made of metal but by the righteousness that has

its source and means in God.

How

does Paul describe this righteousness? How is it revealed, how is

it received, and what does it do for the one who possesses it? Rom.

1:16, 17; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21.

Righteousness is a distinctive characteristic of God Himself (Isa.

59:17, Rom. 3:26, 2 Tim. 4:8), and this has been revealed through

Christ, who has redeemed us from sin (Rom. 1:16, 17). It is through

this righteousness revealed in Christ that God has justified us (3:25,

26)—that is, He declared us to be righteous and has forgiven our sins.

Christ’s righteousness thus makes a right relationship with God possi-

ble. Surely, then, there is no greater protection against Satan’s attacks

than being in a right relationship with God.

“Christ our righteousness” is, therefore, our breastplate. To stand

with God, to be robed with the righteousness of Christ, to be forever

faithful to God’s saving grace, is to give notice to the devil: “If God is

for us, who can be against us? . . . Who shall bring a charge against

God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?”

(Rom. 8:31-34, NKJV).

How

will righteousness as a right relationship with God be seen in the

Christian’s daily life? Rom. 6:10-14.

Righteousness, as a right relationship with God, must lead to right

l iving. It is a call to discipleship, where one’s life is consistent with the

character of the One who calls, with Christ Himself. To be righteous is

to be like Christ—in obedience to God’s law, in moral rectitude, in a

life of uprightness and integr i t y, in extending the love of Christ to all.

How do we put on the breastplate of righteousness? How does

this “putting on” relate to the “Christ . . . in me” experience

described in Galatians 2:20? Does putting on righteousness call

for putting off something else? If so, what?

107

U E S D A Y

December 20

For Fe e t , the Gospel of Pe a c e

(Isa. 52:7, Eph. 6:15)

Read

Ephesians 6:15. What do you think Paul meant with this verse?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Because he was using military imagery in the other verses, Paul wa s

a p p a r e n t l y referring to the shoes, or boots, wo r n by the Roman army.

Roman soldiers wore the kind of footwear that ensured a strong grip on

the ground during combat. A soldier cannot afford to slide and fa l l

when locked in battle with the enemy. Likewise, Christians, too, need

to stand fi r m and unshakable in the gospel truth in order to be victori-

ous in the spiritual wa r fare. The New English Bible translation of

Ephesians 6:15 makes a telling point: “Let the shoes on your feet be

the gospel of peace, to give you firm fo o t i n g.” If feet are our founda-

tion, and they need to be on fi r m footing for the whole body to remain

s t a ble, it shouldn’t be surprising that the “gospel of peace” is the foun-

dation of what we believe. Indeed, no matter how important the other

t rut hs we have been given, eve r ything needs to rest upon the founda-

tion of the gospel message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

It we don’t have that as a foundation, eve r ything else will cru m bl e .

R e a d

the three ange l s ’ m e s s a g es of Revelation 14:6-12. What ev i d e n c e

in the texts shows us just how basic the gospel is to our message ?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Notice, too, that Paul uses the phrase “the gospel of peace.” Peace

in the Bible is not so much a negative term as it is a positive one. It

stands for a tranquillity that comes as a result of victory over sin and

self. It is a relational word—a relationship of reconciliation between

us and God (Rom. 5:1) and of togetherness between ourselves as the

human community, particularly as the community of faith. So,

Christians are told to pursue peace at all times (2 Tim. 2:22, 1 Pet.

3:11). An estranged relationship with either God or with one another

places our Christian calling at risk and leaves us open to Satan’s wiles.

Have you known the peace of the gospel? If not, what changes

might you need to make in order to know this wonderful gift for

yourself?

108

E D N E S D A Y

December 21

The Shield of Fa i t h

(Eph. 6:16)

This passage tells us three things about faith as a vital part of the

Christian armor:

First, “above all” take the shield of faith. “Above all” does not mean

this item is the most important but that it is indispensable. What Paul

says is this: “Besides all these” (Goodspeed) or “with all these” (NIV),

make sure to take the “shield of faith.”

Second, faith is fundamental to Christian life and victory.

Read

Hebrews 11:6.What does it tell us about the role of faith? How

does it relate to Ephesians 6:16? How does James 2:18-20 help us

understand what biblical faith is, and isn’t?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

How do we understand the meaning of “faith” in these verses? It’s

not so much to say “I believe that” but to assert “I believe in.” The for-

mer is a mental assent to a body of doctrines (Eph. 4:13), whereas the

latter is a basic trust in God, a continual trust in His Word and in His

promises. Such an abiding trust is absolutely necessary for faith to

function as a shield.

“ Faith is trusting God—believing that He loves us and knows best

what is for our good. Thus, instead of our own, it leads us to choose His

way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our

weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness.

Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ow n e r -

ship and accepts its bl e s s i n g .”—Ellen G. White, E d u c a t i o n , p. 253.

Such a faith empowers us “to quench all the fiery darts of the

wicked one” (Eph. 6:16, NKJV). Those flaming darts of the enemy

come in different forms: temptation, doubt, lust, despair, trial, rebel-

lion, guilt, etc.

The Roman shield was four feet high and two feet wide, made of

strong wood and leather, with an iron frame. Shield in one hand and

sword in another (our study next week), the soldier was equipped for

both defense and offense. Faith in an unfailing God provides us

absolute confidence to withstand Satan with all courage. God Himself

“is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Prov. 30:5, NKJV).

In your own experience, what fiery darts has faith shielded you

from? Doubt? Discouragement? Fear? Describe the process of

how faith has worked in your behalf. What have you learned

that you could share with others who might be getting pierced

by those same attacks?

109

H U R S D AY

December 22

The Helmet of Salvation

(Eph. 6:17, 1 Thess. 5:8)

Albert was young, handsome, intelligent, and very promising. He

was the delight of his parents and a blessing to the small church com-

munity with which he shared his love of music, his computer skills,

and his knowledge of the Bible. Children sought after him. The older

ones knew for sure he would grow to be someone in whom their com-

munity could take pride. But on the day he turned 18, disaster struck

Albert, plunging his parents into grief and the little Adventist com-

munity into unbearable sorrow. Within minutes after leaving home for

a nearby store to get something an elderly neighbor needed, a speed-

ing truck dashed Albert’s motorcycle from behind, and he landed on

his head. “Severe head wounds,” the autopsy surgeon said. “If only he

had been wearing a helmet. . . .”

A helmet is worn to safeguard the head. In many parts of the world

the law requires the wearing of a helmet as a possible protection

against varied hazards. In Paul’s time, a helmet, made of tough metal

just as bronze or iron, was standard gear for soldiers. No sword could

cut through it.

So it is in Christian warfare. Believers must put on their helmet to

protect the center of their will, for here momentous decisions are

made as to where their loyalty and hope shall rest. Paul identifies this

“helmet” as the salvation we have been given in Christ.

Read

1 Thessalonians 5:8, where Paul also used the image of a “hel-

met.” What does he call it? How does this verse help us under-

stand what the image itself in both verses means?

As Christians, we have to live with the “hope of salvation” (1 Thess.

5:8). And we can have that hope, because that hope is in us; not in

what we can accomplish but only in what Christ has done for us. If sal-

vation were acquired by works or by how much we could achieve or

by how holy we could become—who would not, eventually, give up in

despair? The good news, however, is that Jesus’ works, His achieve-

ment, His holiness, is what gives us “the hope of salvation.” If this

hope were based on anything else, that hope would sooner or later be

lost.

Thus, though Satan often casts doubts on our salvation experience,

we need not fear. As long as we remain in Christ, wearing that helmet

of salvation, He is our assurance (John 6:37-39, Rom. 8:31-39, 1 Pet.

1:3-10).

If you were to die today, do you believe you would be saved? If

so, why? If not, why not?

110

R I D AY

December 23

Further Study:

The heavenly armor. “If we have on the heavenly

armor, we shall find that the assaults of the enemy will not have power

over us. Angels of God will be round about us to protect us.”—Ellen

G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1119.

The girdle of truth. “There is absolutely no safeguard against evil

but truth. No man can stand firm for right in whose heart the truth

does not abide.”—Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 179.

The breastplate of righteousness. “All who have put on the robe of

Christ’s righteousness will stand before Him as chosen and faithful

and true. Satan has no power to pluck them out of the hand of the

Saviour. Not one soul who in penitence and faith has claimed His pro-

tection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power.”—Ellen G.

White, God’s Amazing Grace, p. 31.

The shield of faith. “Saving faith is a transaction by which those

who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God.

Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a con-

fiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.”—Ellen

G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 347.

Discussion Questions:

●

As a class, discuss the question at the end of Thursday’s lesson.

What do the various answers tell us about ourselves and our

understanding of salvation?

●

Many identify truth with a set of doctrines only. Is there a rela-

tionship between truth and doctrine? Can one be doctrinally cor-

rect yet not have truth? At the same time, can someone have truth

but not have correct doctrines? Discuss.

●

How is the shield of faith strengthened? How is it weakened?

●

As a class, discuss the crucial difference between the assurance

of salvation and the dangerous doctrine of “once saved, always

saved.”

tor

I N S I D E

111

Maria’s Celebration of Joy

by J. H. Z

ACHARY

Maria Brozozek was a retired tailor from Poland. She wanted to do

something to help people in her hometown. One day she learned that a

poor family there could not pay their rent, and the apartment owner was

planning to evict them.

Maria appealed to the community to donate used items that she could

sell to help pay the family’s rent.

With this action, Maria’s life took a change she could not have pre-

dicted. She found other people that needed help. She decided to plan a

special day for her community that she called the Celebration of Joy. She

planned a number of activities for people to enjoy and asked the commu-

nity to come and bring used items to donate. After the children performed

a play based on a Bible story, Maria held an auction to sell the donated

items. The proceeds of the auction were set aside to help the poor within

the community.

On another occasion Maria arranged an art exhibition and invited a local

artist to provide several pieces of art to sell. Half of the proceeds were

given for the poor. On other occasions actors performed in a benefit show

to help the city’s poor.

When people ask Maria why she is doing this, she tells them that Jesus

went about helping the poor and the sick, and God has asked her to do the

same. Radio and television stations in town featured Maria’s Celebration

of Joy, and the city newspaper now runs a column listing the needs of peo-

ple and sources for help. People have become more aware of the needs of

poor children, and provide clothes for them. Disadvantaged children are

taken on excursions and field trips to make their lives richer and more joy-

ful.

Because of Maria’s compassion for the poor, the attitude of the people

in that city toward the Adventist church has changed. A local priest has

encouraged his congregation to support the Celebration of Joy and invited

Adventists to present a musical concert in their church to benefit the poor.

Many people have shown an interest in knowing more about the teachings

of the Adventist Church, and Maria is studying the Bible with ten people

as a result of her work.

Maria never dreamed that the needs of one poor family would bring so

much joy to her city or so many people to a better knowledge of God’s

love.

MARIA BROZOZEK shares God’s love in Legionowo, Poland. Until his death, J. H. ZACHARY

coordinated outreach among the Jews and Muslims in the North American Division.

P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

112

E S S O N

*December 24-30

The Christian

C o m m u n i o n

a n d

C o n d u c t

A B B A T H

F T E R N O O N

Read for This We e k ’s Study:

Ps. 119:9, 11; Mark 13:33;

Eph. 6:17-24; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Pet. 5:8.

Memory Text:

“Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer

and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance,

making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, RSV).

o m munion and conduct. E ve r ything the apostle has spoken so

far in the Epistle—from the origin of our life to the my s t e r y of

the Cross that established one united fa m i ly; from the joy of sal-

vation to the responsibility of Christian living; from the creation of a

n e w humanity to the reality of spiritual wa r fare—all have their gr o u n d-

ing in the Word of God. Without God’s Wo r d, inspired by and reve a l e d

through His Spirit, we would have no knowledge of His will and His

p u r poses for us. It is through His Word He speaks directly to us.

And though God speaks to us, we must speak to God. Christian life

demands both listening to what God says in His Word and speaking to

Him through prayer. The Word and prayer provide power enough to

withstand the evil one and to stay on God’s chosen path. This week,

among other things, we’ll take a look at what Paul says to us about the

role and power of God’s Word.

The Week at a Glance:

What is the role of the Bible in

the Christian life? What role does it play in the battle with sin?

Why must Christians be watchful? What role must prayer have in

our battle against the devil?

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 31.

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U N D AY

December 25

The Wo rd and the Spirit

Take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph.

6:17, NKJV).

Although Paul mentions the Word of God last in the six pieces that

make up the Christian armor, it is not his intention to make it least in

importance. The Word is foundational to Christian living. Without it

we will not know who God is, who we are, how we came to be, what’s

wrong with us, how we are saved from sin, what God has done

through Christ, or what our ultimate destiny is. History bears witness

that where the Bible is neglected, even for the briefest period, dark-

ness of immense magnitude takes over. This is true in individual lives,

as well as in the church as a corporate body. It is, therefore, not an

accident that Paul places so crucial an importance on the Word of God

in fighting life’s spiritual battles.

The

Word of God is called “the sword of the Spirit.” What is the con-

nection between the Spirit and the Bible? Summarize the answers

given in the following verses:

John 14:26

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1 Cor. 2:10

____________________________________________________________________

2 Pet. 1:21

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God’s revelation is seen in varied ways (Heb. 1:1-3). The wonder of

the heavens, the beauties of nature, and the marvel of life all bear wit-

ness to the Creator God (Ps. 33:6-9). But God’s revelation through

His Son Jesus and through the Written Word are unique in that the

former brought us salvation from sin, and the latter bears witness to

Jesus’ saving act (John 1:1-3, 14; 5:39; 17:17; Rom. 15:4). The Bible

thus makes us “wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ

Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15, NKJV).

Note what Paul says further on Scripture’s role in Christian life:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doc-

trine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that

the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every

good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17, NKJV).

What are the forces in your culture that have the effect

(whether intended or not) of weakening trust in the Bible as the

Word of God? After identifying these forces, ask “What can I

do to protect myself and others against them?”

O N D A Y

December 26

The Swo rd and the Battle

In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus set an example for us in how we may rely

upon God’s Word in our warfare with Satan. His experience in the

wilderness teaches us two important lessons. First, spiritual warfare is

real, and none of God’s children can escape from its reality or Satan’s

vehemence. Satan does not attack his own. The closer we are to God,

the more Satan tries to get us on his side (Job 1, 2). Second, it is not

enough to know the Word; we must know the Author of the Word and

trust in His promises. Satan tried to use the Word to cast doubt on

God’s promises and purposes, but Jesus trusted the Word and followed

God’s way. “Jesus met Satan with the words of Scripture. ‘It is writ-

ten,’ He said. In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was the

word of God. Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a sign of His

divinity. But that which is greater than all miracles, a firm reliance

upon a ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ was a sign that could not be controverted.

So long as Christ held to this position, the tempter could gain no

advantage.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 120.

Note

from the following verses how the Word of God equips us in

overcoming the assaults of Satan. Deut. 8:3; Ps. 119:9, 11; Matt.

4:4; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:4.

The Holy Spirit through whom we have obtained the new-birth

experience (John 3:3-8) is the seal and guarantee of that experience

(Eph. 1:13, 14). He dwells in us (Rom. 8:9, 11, 14; 2 Cor. 1:22), trans-

forms our mind (Rom. 12:1, 2), and leads us in the understanding of

Scripture (John 16:13, Eph. 1:17-23). It is the same Spirit that

inspired the Word of God, and its indwelling power enables us to take

up that Word as a sword to fend off Satan’s attacks. The Christian sol-

dier must use that Word, “living and powerful, and sharper than any

two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12, NKJV), to penetrate and cut through, to

discern right from wrong, and to distinguish between the voice of God

and the whispers of the devil. That’s what makes the Word a weapon

of both defense and offense.

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin

against You” (Ps. 119:11, NKJV). That’s the testimony of the

psalmist. That’s the experience of Jesus. What has been your

own experience with the power of the Word in overcoming the

assaults of Satan?

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U E S D A Y

December 27

P r ayer and Christian Wa r f a re

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,

being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication

for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18, NKJV).

In Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan describes a moving scene in

which Christian encounters Apollyon in the great Valley of Humilia-

tion. Apollyon, symbolic of satanic forces out to crush the saints on

their march to God’s kingdom, attacks Christian with every weapon at

his command. Armed with the sword of the Spirit, Christian puts up a

valiant fight. In the midst of the deadly combat, Christian loses the

sword. Apollyon rejoices that Christian’s doom is sealed, but Christian

turns to another tested weapon called All-prayer, and the battle con-

tinues. Christian, using this weapon skillfully, defeats the enemy and

raises a powerful shout of victory!

Read

Ephesians 6:18. Though telling them to pray, Paul gives the

Ephesians another admonition, one directly linked with prayer.

What is it, and why is it so important? See also Mark 13:33, 1 Cor.

16:13, Col. 4:2, 1 Pet. 5:8.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Although Paul does not list prayer as part of the Christian armor, the

apostle recognizes it as indispensable to Christian life and victory.

“Praying always . . . being watchful to this end,” he says (Eph. 6:18,

NKJV). Prayer is not only a fundamental essential to Christian daily

living; it also carries an eschatological dimension. That is to say,

prayer supplies not only strength for today but also hope for the com-

ing end-time trials. A life girded with the armor of God—truth, right-

eousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word—and linked with Him

in prayer can be nothing but victorious over the evil one.

Perhaps the greatest illustration of prayer as a means of victory is in

our Lord’s prayer life. Forty days of fasting and prayer, combined with

His knowledge of and trust in God’s Word, prepared Him to defeat the

devil in the wilderness temptation (Matt. 4:1-11). The Gethsemane

prayer, pouring out His soul in agony to know and obey God’s will,

prepared Him for the crucial battle on the cross (Matt. 26:36-46).

Make a list of some of the things prayer does for you. Make a list

of things prayer does not do for you. Be prepared to discuss your

lists in class.

E D N E S D A Y

December 28

P rayer and Christian Victory

(Eph. 6:18-20)

In nonbiblical systems, prayer is the human’s quest for God, a search

after the unknown. In the Bible, prayer is our response to God’s Wo r d .

He has spoken. He has promised. “A s k ,” He has said (Matt. 7:7, Luke

1 1 : 9 ) . We respond to His bidding. Thus, to a Christian, prayer is not

the first word; it is the second. The first word is always God’s .

Standing on the promise of God, we must pray. Listening to His Wo r d

and seeking Him in prayer make communication with God complete.

Prayer is often associated with the personal—our needs, our chil-

dren, our families. The closer an individual is to our hearts, the more

often we think of that person in our prayers. That is natural, and

there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s wrong when prayer is limited

just to that inner circle and does not transcend to include the neigh-

bor, the community, the church, and, above all, the hastening of God’s

kingdom. Praying for others is not being magnanimous but rather

acknowledging that the family of God is more inclusive than human

nature would let us believe.

Read

Ephesians 6:18-20. On the lines below, write a few notes about

prayer: about how to pray, what to pray for, when to pray—

anything at all you can learn from these verses about prayer.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________________________________________

Notice, too, the personal note Paul has in the midst of his words to

the Ephesians. He asks them to pray for him. But what does he ask?

That he be released from jail? That he have more personal comforts,

such as better food? No! Instead, in a selfless request, he asks that

they pray for him to be a bold witness for Christ and that he might

speak “boldly, as I ought to speak” (vs. 20). What a subtle yet power-

ful insight into the mind of someone who’s dead to self.

To “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) requires that we order

our lives according to God’s priority, so at any time and any

place we are in tune with God’s will and purposes, and our life

itself becomes a prayer, a testimony. How high is prayer among

your priorities? What changes might you need to make in your

life in order to give prayer the priority it should have?

____________________________________________________________________

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H U R S D AY

December 29

Christian Character

(Eph. 6:21-23)

Paul concludes the Epistle as he began: with a gracious greeting in

the name of Jesus. While we are aware there is no other name given

under heaven by which we may be saved except the name of Jesus, it

is imperative to realize there is no other name by which we can define

our relationship with God and with one another and establish a com-

mon community of faith. The redeemed community is an in-Christ

community. That theme dominates the Epistle, and with that theme the

apostle concludes this great hymn for unity.

The closing verses of the Epistle affirm three wonderful traits of

Christian character:

A common fellowship. With tender words Paul introduces to the

Ephesians the messenger who was carrying his message to them:

“Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Eph.

6:21, NKJV). Before the Damascus Road encounter with Jesus, Paul

could not have said those words about Tychicus. But in Christ cruci-

fied, Paul saw the walls between the Jew and the Gentile collapse

(Eph. 2:14-18). He accepted Tychicus, a Gentile convert, as a beloved

brother and a faithful minister. In such inclusiveness we see the glory

of a common fellowship.

A common concern. The community in Christ reaches across all

kinds of frontiers to affirm a common concern. The apostolic church

had a custom of exchanging greetings, sharing news, and assisting in

the needs of another congregation. In keeping with this custom, Paul

informs the Ephesians that Tychicus will give an oral report on the

conditions in Rome. Such concerns contribute to global awareness

among churches.

A common heritage. The Christian heritage is an imperishable her-

itage, and it comes “from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

to all those who love the Lord “in sincerity” (6:23, 24, NKJV). The

Revised Standard Version translates the phrase to say “with love undy-

ing.” Christian discipleship calls for a permanency in relationship

between believers and the Lord. “ ‘Abide in me, and I in you,’ ” said

Jesus (John 15:4, NKJV). Those who have that undying, ever-abiding

love relationship with the Lord are those who receive the heritage of

peace, love, faith, and grace. With those great words, each a gem from

God’s heavenly throne room, Paul closes the Epistle.

What does Paul’s reason for sending Tychicus to Ephesus reveal

about Pa u l ’s character? What does it tell us about wh a t

Christian character should be in general? See also Matt. 4:23-

25, Gal. 6:2, Phil. 2:4, 1 John 3:16.

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___________________________________________________________________

R I D A Y

December 30

Further Study:

The importance of prayer. “Prayer is the breath of

the soul, the channel of all blessings. As . . . the repentant soul offers

its prayer, God sees its struggles, watches its conflicts, and marks its

sincerity. He has His finger upon its pulse, and He takes note of every

throb. Not a feeling thrills it, not an emotion agitates it, not a sorrow

shades it, not a sin stains it, not a thought or purpose moves it, of

which He is not cognizant. That soul was purchased at an infinite

cost, and is loved with a devotion that is unalterable.”—Ellen G.

White, Maranatha, p. 85.

Praying always. “Pray often to your heavenly Father. The oftener

you engage in prayer, the closer your soul will be drawn into a sacred

nearness to God. The Holy Spirit will make intercession for the sin-

cere petitioner with groanings which cannot be uttered, and the heart

will be softened and subdued by the love of God. The clouds and

shadows which Satan casts about the soul will be dispelled by the

bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and the chambers of mind

and heart will be illuminated by the light of Heaven.”—Ellen G.

White, In Heavenly Places, p. 89.

Discussion Questions:

●

Go back to the question about prayer at the end of Tuesday’s

lesson. Compare lists. What have you learned from them? What

misconceptions or false expectations, if any, might some people

have about prayer? On the other hand, in what ways might we

underestimate the efficacy and power of prayer?

●

If we are saved by grace, why is Christian character such an

important aspect of our faith? Why does the Bible put such an

emphasis on character?

●

If your class were to pen “an Epistle” to your local church

warning them to be “watchful,” what things would you deem

most important to watch for? If you were to pen an “Epistle” to

the world Seventh-day Adventist Church, what would you write?

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tor

I N S I D E

Discovering a “New” Church

by E

DNA

ODICH

When Edna Rodich started high school in western Kenya, she made

friends with some Adventist students who invited her to their worship

meetings. Impressed by what Adventists teach and how they study the

Bible, she began to study the Bible with them. She was excited to discover

the Sabbath truth and memorized several Bible texts to support it. Before

long she was convinced that Adventists truly follow God’s teachings.

Edna visited her family one weekend and told her mother what she had

learned. Mother surprised Edna by telling her, “You must not tell your

father that you are attending Adventist meetings. I once attended the

Adventist church too, but when I married your father, he forbade me to

attend.” Whenever Edna returned home from school, she secretly attended

Sabbath services, then attended church with her parents on Sunday.

Edna’s father eventually learned that Edna was attending the Adventist

church; he told her she must stop going. Edna showed her father the Bible

texts that support the Sabbath, but he threw the Bible away, saying “never

talk to me about this again.”

In time Edna’s father softened and was willing to talk to her about what

she believed. Mother rejoiced that her husband’s heart was softening

toward the church of her childhood.

Edna invited her parents to attend Pathfinder Sabbath at church. Her

father was impressed with how well behaved the Pathfinders were and

how well they knew their Bible. After church that day her father praised

her for her accomplishments and told her that she could become an

Adventist if she wished. Then to her surprise, he offered to let her attend

the Adventist high school.

Because of Edna’s faith and determination, her mother has returned to

the church she loved. Edna’s brother has

joined the Adventist Church, and her father

shows signs of the Holy Spirit’s influence in

his life.

“I am happy to be a part of this church that

teaches the truth of the Bible, not traditions,”

Edna says. “I want to be a literature evangel-

ist and help other people find God, as I did.”

EDNA RODICH is studying at the Adventist secondary

school in Baraton, western Kenya.

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P roduced by the General Conference Office of Mission Aw a r e n e s s .

e m a i l : i n f o @ a dv e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g website:www. a d v e n t i s t m i s s i o n . o r g

Nowhere is our relationship with others more important, more

fraught with both temporal and eternal consequences, than in the

family. Through family relationships God wants to show His love to

the world. This quarter’s study, Families in the Family of God, by

Ron Flowers, has been written in the sad recognition that for many,

this haven doesn’t exist as it should. Our goal, if nothing else, is

through study of the Word to help homes and families be what God

would have them to be.

Lesson 1:

A Family of Families

The Week at a Glance:

U N D AY

: Fa m i l y Roots (Gen. 2:18-25)

O N D AY

: Jesus’ A ffi rmation of Families (Matt. 19:4-6)

U E S DAY

: A Variety of Families (Gen. 27:1–28:5, Ruth 1:22, 2:23)

E D N E S D AY

: One Is a Whole Number (1 Kings 17:1–2 Kings 2:11)

H U R S DAY

: Household of Households ( J ohn 20:17, Acts 9:17)

Memory Text:

Ephesians 2:19, 20, NKJV.

Sabbath Gem:

Through our family, both in our households and

in His church, God longs for us to experience His self-giving love.

Lesson 2:

God’s Word on Family Living

The Week at a Glance:

U N DAY

: Fa m i l y Commandments (Exod. 20:12)

O N DAY

: Fa m i l y Narr a t i ves (Ruth 1, 2)

U E S DAY

: Principles of Relationships ( P rov. 12:25)

E D N E S D AY

: The Royal Love Poem (Song of Sol. 1:9, 14, 16; 2:3)

H U R S D AY

: The Divine Parent and Marriage Pa r tner (Isa. 54:5)

Memory Text:

Romans 15:4, NIV.

Sabbath Gem:

Within the pages of His Word, God has unfolded

His plans and purposes for families.

Lessons for the Visually Impaired

The regular Adult Sabbath School

Bible Study Guide is available free each month in braille and on audiocassette to

sight-impaired and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink

print. This includes individuals who, because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis, paralysis,

accident, old age, and so forth, cannot hold or focus on normal ink-print publications.

Contact Christian Record Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097.

2 0 0 6

Bible Study Guide for the First Quarter

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